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REPRESENIA'IIVE  MEN 

and    OLD   FAMILIES     of 

SOUTHEASTERN 

MASSACHUSETTS 

CONTAINING 

HISTORICAL    SKETCHES     OF     PROMINENT    AND 
REPRESENTAl'IVE     liTIZENS     AND      GENEALOG- 
ICAL RECORDS  OF  MANY  OF  THE  OLD  FAMILIES 

illtjstrateB  ' 

VOLUME   11 

J.     H.     BEERS&CO. 

C  H  J  C  A  G  Ci                                       .       ■ 

1912 

"^mih^-^^' 


~4^^— 


1\H 


Sf 


/ 


INDEX 


Akin    Families 843,    1141 

Akin,  Francis    T 1141 

Akin,  Mrs.    Franklin   S....  1141 

Akin,  Peleg    P 843 

Akin,  Thomas     1143 

Albro    Family 1614 

Alden  Families     1506,  1704 

Alden,  George    N 1507 

Alden,  Lucas    W 1704 

Alger,  Mrs.    Abbie   A 1614 

Alger,  Arthur   M 896 

Alger    Families 

894,  949,  1231,  1613 

Alger,  Frank    S 949 

Alger,  Newton    H 1613 

Alger,  Stillman     1231 

Alger,  Rev.    William   R...     895 

Allen,  Edward    H 356 

Allen,  Ethan    1754 

Allen    Families 

70,  350,   1380,   1678,   1754 

Allen,  George   H.    H 357 

Allen,  Gideon,    Jr 355 

Allen,  Gideon   H 1380 

Allen.  Gilbert    355 

Allen.  Mrs.  Horatio  A 355 

Allen,  James    W 356 

Allen,  Joseph    D 1631 

Allen.  Samuel    1739 

Allen,  Mrs.    Sophia   A 1631 

Allen,  Thomas    F 1678 

Allen,  Walter    S.. 357 

Almy,  Benjamin    R 824 

Almy,  Mrs.  Emily  M 826 

Almy    Families 

670,  691,  824,  1662 

Almy,  Noi-man    L 1663 

Almy,  William    672 

Ames    Family    26 

Ames,  Frederick    L 29 

Ames,  Miss  Mary  S 30 

Ames,  Hon.    Oliver 27 

.Ames,  Hon.   Oliver,  Jr. . . .       28 
Anthony,  Benjamin    H....       48 

Anthony,  Daniel    A 1550 

Anthony,  Edmund    45 

Anthony,  Edmund,    Jr....       46 

Anthony,  Mrs.   Ella   F 1264 

Anthony   Families    ....45,   1550 
Anthony,  Mrs.  Sarah  0...       46 

Archer   Family    108 

Archer,  Dr.   Jason   H 109 

Archer,  John  J 109 


Arnold  Families.480,   1302,  1336 

Arnold,  Franklin    6 1302 

Arnold,  Moses   N 482 

Arnold,  Wallace    E 484 

Arnold,  William    B 483 

Arnold,  Wilson    W 1335 

Ashley,  Mrs.   Bettie  H 1322 

Ashley,  Charles    S 151 

Ashley  Families  150,  1321,  1783 

Ashley,  George    B 1783 

Ashley,  Henry   T 1322 

Ashley,  Jefferson    1114 

Atherton,   LeBaron 923 

Atwood,  Alton  B 611 

Atwood,  Benjamin   S......  216 

Atwood,  Charles  A.,  M.  D.  758 

Atwood,  Charles   H 1564 

Atwood,  Charles   N 609 

Atwood    Families   , 

216,  609,  758,  960,  1333, 

1366,    1543,    1563,    1616,  1788 

Atwood,  George   S 1333 

Atwood,  Gustavus    1616 

Atwood,  Dr.   Joseph 1366 

Atwood,  Josiah  W 1564 

Atwood,  Levi    1788 

Atwood,  Marcus    1543 

Atwood,  William   B 960 

Averell,  Edward    E 1317 

Averill     (Averell)    Family.  1317 
Ayer         (Ayers,        Ayres) 

Family    1517 

Babeock   Family 1521 

Bacon,  Ebenezer    858 

Bacon  Family   878 

Bacon,  Mrs.    Luoretia  M.  .  858 

Bailey   Family 18 

Baker,  Charles   A 1127 

Baker,  Charles    F 295 

Baker,  Charles  L 1127 

Baker   Families 

295,  572,  1087,  1099,  1126, 1319 

Baker,  Capt.  George  0....  1087 

Baker,  Capt.   Joshua  G . . .  572 

Ballou    Family   455 

Ballou,  Walter    455 

Barden   Family 677 

Barden,  Mrs.  Louise  B . . . .  681 

Barden,  Winthrop   F 681 

Barker,  Anson  J 1524 

Barker,  Capt.  Charles  W..  1410 
Barker,  Mrs.  Edith  F..208,  247 


Barker,  Edward    208 

Barker,  Mrs.   Emily  K 1411 

Barker  Families 

207,  331,  1410,  1524,  1655 

Barker,  Orville  A 1526 

Barnett,  George  D 1776 

Barney,  Algernon   H 1015 

Barney  Families 1014,   1063 

Barney,  Morgan    1064 

Barrows    Families 611,1275 

Barrows,  Fletcher  L 1277 

Barrows,  Horatio 1275 

Bartlett  Families.841,  1079,  1255 

Bartlett,  Frederick    D 841 

Bartlett,  Horace  1255 

Bass   Family 517 

Bassett,  Charles  A 319 

Bassett  Families    317,  1413 

Bassett,  I^ester  E 1415 

Bassett,  Rufus    W 319 

Bassett,  Thomas  B 320 

Bates,  Mrs.  Anna  W...524,  536 

Bates,  Mrs.    Elderetta 1491 

Bates,  Eliphalet  R 852 

Bates    Families 

401,  536,  851,  988,  1490 

Bates,  Joshua    536 

Bates,  Orrin    1490 

Bates,  Mrs.   Ruth   T 853 

Battles,  David    W 1769 

Battles    Family   1767 

Battles,  Joseph    1770 

Baxendale,  John   V 1676 

Baxendale,  John  W 1676 

Baxendale,  Thomas  A 320 

Baylies,  Charles  S 526 

Baylies    Family  524 

Baylies,  John  B 525 

Baylies,  Mrs.  Mary  C 525 

Baylies,  William     525 

Beal,  Charles  A 341 

Beal(s)   Families   338,905,  1179 

Beal,  Mrs.   Florence   L 340 

Beal,  George  A 339 

Beal,  George  C 340 

Beal,  Herbert    A 340 

Beals,  Arthur  L.,  M.D....  1179 
Beals    (Beal)    Familiea.... 

338.  905..  il79,  1614' 

Beals,  Isaiah    A . . .  w; lH4i 

Beals,  Joseph  E.  .,..}•  •••■•v-  .  ^"^ 
Beals,  Walter  h...^^:^..,:'J^l. 
Bearce,  Mrs.  JefferWMiS..', 


INDEX 


/live  L, 
JS.....1511, 

/  H.. ...... 

.liam  A. ...... 

^iiy 

lUiam  H 

Families 954, 

.^e,  Frank  A 

iickford    Family  

Bickford,  George   E 

Bickford,  Mrs.   Mary   T. . . 

Bird  Family 

Bishop  Family 

Blackinton,  Amos  S....... 

Blackinton    Family 

Blackmer      (Blackmore) 

Family  

Blackmer,  Herbert  A 

Blackstone,  Alfred  V.,  M.D. 
Blackstons    Family    ...... 

Blackstone,  Hollis  M...... 

Blake    Family   

Blake,  James  Edwin 

Blanding    Family   

Blanding,  AVilliam  W..... 

Bliss,  Charles    E 

Bliss,  Miss  Cordelia  L 

Bliss    Families 808, 

Blossom,  Aloiizo  C 

Blossom    Family    

ii.y  ' 

■  p 

■  ■  iot  L 

:       -   ;  .  Abbie  L 

'■.  '■'  5  Anna  H.  . . .. 
Borden,  Mrs.  Bertha  V... 
Borden.  Mrs.  Bethana  B.. 
Borden,  Miss  Carrie  L. .  . . 

Borden,  Charles  F 

Borden,  Edwin    

Borden,  Mrs.  Ellen  F.. .. . 

Borden    Families  

8,  82,  417,  553,  1228, 
Borden,  Henry    F.,    M.D. . . 

Borden,  Jonathan    

Borden,  Nathaniel    B 

Borden,  Nathaniel   B.,  Jr.. 

Borden,  Philip  D 

Borden,  Philip  H 

Borden,  Col.  Richard 

Borden,  Richard  B 

Borden,  Robert  R 

Borden,  Simeon,  Sr 

Borden,  Simeon,  Jr 

Borden,  Col.  Tliomaa  J 

Bourne,  Edmnnd  W 

Bourne    I'amily    

Bourne,  Standish    

Bowen   F.imily   

Bowen,  .Joseph   A 

Boyden,  Dr.  Albert  G. .  . .  . 
Boyder,  viithur   C. ..... , 

BtrMTen    Family 

.Boyden,  Mrs.  Isabella  W.. 

Boyden,  Wallace   C 

Bradford,  Cornelius    F . . . . 


1524  Bradford    Families    ...... 

1522  915,  1284,  1,305 

1226  Bradford,  Miss  Frances  M.     916 

1226  Bradford,  Lewis    G 915 

213  Bradford,  Miss  Mary  E...    1080 

213  Bradford,  Mrs.  Mary  E...    1307 

214  Bradford,  William 1079 

1746  Braley,  Mrs.    Annie   E 949 

1746  Braley    Families... 304,    948 

1513  Braley,  Capt.  Sierra  L....     948 

635  Brayton.  Mrs.   Caroline  E.      125 

637  Brayton,  David  A 122 

1627  Brayton,  Miss  Elizabeth  H.     123 

956  Br.ayton   Family    .....      120 

753  Brayton,  Miss  Harriet  H..      124 

753  Brayton,  Hezekiah    A 124 

75,5  Brayton,  John  S 123 

422  Brayton,  Miss  Julia   W...      122 

1779  Brayton.  William  B 122 

1474  Brett,  Ellis 239 

1472  Brett  Families 

239,  366,  516,  1764 

1530  Brett,  Henry  A .368 

1531  Brett,  William  F 367 

562  Brett,  Zenas  F 368 

560  Briggs,  Abram  T 999 

561  Brigas    Families 

714  457.  510,  729,  911,   1000, 

714  1246,   1354,   1581,   1596 

1313  Briggs,  Franklin     731 

1315  Briggs,   George   E 1596 

977  Briggs,  George  R... ..   1246 

978  Briggs,  Seth  M 1354 

976  Brightman.  Charles  0.  ....     851 

1476  Brightman,  Charles  P 1649 

1475  Brightman,  Miss  Eva  St.  C.  1648 

1516  Brightman  Families.  .  .850,  1647 

1517  Brightman,  Hathaway    ....  1648 

839  Bronson    Family    397 

340  Bronson,  Dr.  John  R 397 

13  Brown    Families. 008,  1273,  1771 

1359  Brown,  Isaac    A 1772 

419  Brown,  Marcus  A 1273 

13  Erownell,  Alvin   C 1030 

1247  Brownell,  Benjamin  F 1481 

555  Brownell,  Mrs.  Deborah  D.    1481 

14  Brownell.  Mrs.  Evelyn  H..      777 
Brownell   Families 

1248  691.  082,  1030,  1177,  1471, 
1228  1480,  1630 

554  Browiiell,  Fenner    1472 

84  Brownell,  Fenner    C. 1472 

89  Brownell,  Isaac    T 1178 

1250  Brownell.  Joseph   692 

419  Brow-nell.  William    H 1030 

P  Bryant  F.amilies 868,  1699 

13  BrV.int.   Walter   C 867 

1250  Buffington,  Darius    1368 

87  Buffinton    (Buffington)    Fa- 

88  milies 1219,    1367,    1706 

11         Buffinton,  Frank 1707 

1291  Buffinton,  Mrs.   James  N..     277 

1289  Buffinton,  Oliver 1707 

1291  Bullard  Family 1020 

1244  Bullard,  John" T.,   M.D....    1019 

1245  Bullock,  Hon.  William  J..   1296 

J44  Bump   Families 1659,   1673 

,  .„  Bump,  James    S 1674 

\Zn  Bump,  Josiah  B 1660 

\^J:  Burbank  Family 1519 

147  Burrell,  David  T 1668 

147  Burrell   Families 793,   1665 

1305         Burrell.   Jarvis 1666 


Burt  Families .....  789,  1278 

Burt,  Henry   P .......  791 

Burt,  Samuel  P.   ..........  790 

Burt,  T.  Preston..........  1279 

Bushee,  Albert  A.    .......  1791 

Bushee,  Charles  H ....... .  1790 

Bushee   Family 1788 

Byram    Family ...........  517 

Cady    Family    ...........  1050 

Cady,  Frank  L.........    .  1050 

Gaboon,  Mrs.   Annie  J....  559 

Gaboon,  Elleiy  C ........ .  S58 

Gaboon  Family.  ..........  558 

Caldwell,  Benjamin   0.....  1108 

Caldwell  Family. .....,.,.  1108 

Canedy  Family. ..........  1452 

Canedy,  Zebulon  L. ....... .  1452 

Capron,  Everett   S 1583 

Capron  Family 1582 

Capron,  Harford   A.    .....  1583 

Carleton  Family 1750 

Carleton,  George  H 1750 

Carleton,  Mrs.  Mary  W...  1751 

Carpenter,  Mrs.    Eliza   J. .  1583 

Carpenter    Families.  .  .642,  1578 

Carpenter,  Frank  L 642 

Carpenter,  Mrs.  Harriet  D.  1581 

Carpenter,  Henry  L 1580 

Carpenter,  Lyman    1581 

Carpenter,  Shcpard    W....  )580i 

Carr  Family 5534 

Carr,  Simeon  D. 1534 

Gary,  Charles  H 1 564 

Cary  Families 360,  517,  3  564 

Car'y,  Mrs.    Matilda   F....  363 

Gary,  William   H 360 

Case,  Charles   A 1663 

Case,  Charles   E 1745 

Case  F.amilies 1663,  1745 

Case,  Mrs.  Nellie  M 1664 

Caswell,  Mrs.  Eliza  J 1640 

Caswell    F.amily 1639 

Caswell,  William  H 1039 

Chace,  Arthur  F.,  M.D. . .  .  707 

Chace,  Benjamin    S 707 

Chace,  Charles  A 707 

Chace      (Chase)      Families 

132,  237,  518,   S54,  1218, 

1343,  IGlo 

Chace,  Frank    C 1220 

Chace,  Frank  M ^kk 

Chace,  George  A 

Chace,  George    M 

Chace,  Rev.  Obadiah.. 
Chace,  Mrs.  Sarah  A. . 

Chace,  Walter  F ., 

Chace,  Warren  0 708 

Chace,  William  B.  M......  518 

Chamberlain    Fiimily 403 

Chambeilain,  Loyed  E 402 

Chandler,  Cleaveland   A...  70 

Chandler  Families.  .68,  965,  1195 

Chandler,  Henry  W 966 

Chandler,  Joseph   1196 

Chase,  Edward  L 1343 

Chase  (Chace)   Families... 

132,  237,  518,  854,   1218, 

1343,  1015 

Chase,  Simeon  E 133 

Child  Family 1252 

Church  Families... 5.52,  740,  1254 

Church,  Nathaniel    552 


INDEX 


IX 


atliaway,  Sai.uuel  W.    .  . .  G14 

athaway,  WiilUam  J.    ...  1196 

authaway,  C/harles   L.    .  .  289 

Hauthaway,  ijharles  M.    . .  288 

Haulliaway,  'l^iank:  M.    ...  291 

Bav'haway,  (Mrs.    Susan 

Avffusta       290 

Hawes,  Edw  ard  E.,  M.D .  .  600 

Hawes,  Mrs'.  Eliza  P 1394 

Hawes   Families    

227.   'oOO,    1183,   1389,  1392 

Hawes,  Fr^ederick  B 1391 

Hawes,  Ge  orge  H 230 

H:iwes,  Jonathan    C 1391 

Hawes,  l\''-rs.  Mary  W 1391 

Hawes,  Ciliver  K 230 

Eawes,  (Jliver  S 229 

Hawes,  'Svlvanus  T 1392 

Hawes,  William   C 1184 

Hawes,  William  M 229 

Hawes.  William   T 1184 

Hawkins,  Charles   W 997 

Hawkins,  Edward  L 997 

Hawkins,  Edwin  M 997 

Hawldns  Family 996 

Hawkins,  Henry  C 997 

Hay-s,  Mrs.  Helen  L 1636 

Hay  ward,  Ernest    L 885 

Haj  ward  Families  234,  SS4.  1532 

Hay  ward,  John  L 1532 

Hayivard,  Dr.  Joseph  W .  .  884 

Hay.vard,  Walter   B.,  M.D.  885 

Heard  Family   517 

;iied(;e,  Barnabas    1169 

Hedge  Family   1168 

.Hedge,  Mrs.  Priscilla  S.   ..  1170 

Harney  Family    985 

''lersom    Family    1455 

Hersom,  Tliomas   1455 

Hervey,  E.  Williams    912 

.Eervey  Family    911 

Eowett,  Miss  Ellen  E.    .  . .  478 

He\i'ett  Family   477 

Hewett,  Herman     478 

Hewett,  Joseph    477 

Hewett,  Justin    479 

Hewett,  Mrs.    Mary    0 479 

Hey  wood.  Miss  Grace  A...  1543 

Hey  wood,  John  J 1542 

Hicks,  Andrew    771 

Hicks,  Barney 770 

Hicks,  Miss  Charlotte   771 

Hicks   Family    769 

Hicks,  Isaac     771 

Hicks,  .John   Jay    771 

Hicks,  Miss  Maria  R 772 

Hicks,  Mrs.  Sarah  A 772 

Hicks,  William  B 772 

Hill    Family    675 

Hills  Family   1495 

Hills,  George  H 1496 

Hobart,  Hon.  Aaron    7 

Hf  bart,  Edward    S 

Hobart.  Edward  E 1567 

Hobart  Families   ...5.  796.  1567 

Hodge,  Michael  743 

'"^odges    Families    

846,  1051,  1319,  1584 

Frederick  G ' 

'  ''onard   M. 
Ham  B. 
)   Far- 
inu' 


Holbrook,  Mrs.  Susan  J...    1731 

Hollis,  Mi-s.  Esther   967 

Hollis  Family   967 

Hollis,  John  H 967 

Hollywood  Family   1683 

Hollywood,  Joseph  M 1683 

Holman,  David  Emory, 

M.  D 298 

Holman   Family 296 

Holman,  Samuel  F 298 

Holmes,  Albert  W 1424 

Holmes,  Barnabas  H 1518 

Holmes,  Charles   J 280 

Holmes,  Charles  L 281 

Holmes,  Edward     395 

Holmes,  Ezra     1680 

Holmes    Families    

277,  392,  1424,  1518,  IGSO 

Holmes,  Frank  H 395 

Holmes,  Miss  Helen 395 

Holmes,  Miss  Helen  R.   ...    1519 

Holmes,  Josiah,  Jr 1427 

Hoames,  JiUdgei  Lemuel  TieB:    838 
"lolmes,  Mrs.  Mary  A.    . .  .     281 

Holmes,  Paraclete    W 396 

Hood,  Alfred  H 592 

Hood  Family  591 

Hood,  William  P 591 

Hooper   Families    285,     555 

Hooper,  Dr.  Frederick  H..      555 

Hooper,  George  M 286 

Horton,  Adin  B 1237 

Horton,  Charles  M 919 

Horton,  Edwin  J 444 

Horton,  Mrs.   Emily  H.    . .     447 
Horton,  Maj.  Everett  S.   . .     442 

Horton  Families   

441,  731,  917,  1236 

Horton,  Gideon   M 446 

Horton,  James  J 447 

Horton,  Mrs.  Mary  J 1237 

Horton,  Nathaniel  B 1237 

Horton,  Raymond  M 448 

Hosmer   Family    1408 

Hosmer,  Stephen  D 1408 

Hough  Family     453 

Hough,  Garry  deN 454 

Hough,  George   A 454 

Hough,  Dr.  George  T 453 

Hovey  F.imily 1681 

Howard,  Charles     96 

Howard,  Cyrus    1715 

Howard,  Daniel  S.,  Jr 44 

Howard,  Daniel  S.,  Sr 42 

Howard,  Miss  Edith  F 540 

Howard,  Embert     309 

Howard  Families   

40,  96,  309,  r.36,  764.  993,  1162 
1513.    1038,    1668,    1682,    1715 

Howard,  I'rancis  E 536 

Howard,  George    993 

Howard,  Gorham   B 43 

Howard,  Harry  C 995 

Howard,  James  E 1164 

Howard,  .Jeremiah   B 1515 

Howard,  U>avitt  T 1682 

Howard,  Lester  S 1515 

Howard,  Mrs.   Mary  Cobb.       43 

-'■d,  Nathan  C 1514 

Mrs.    Sylvia  M. .  .    1683 

'arren  A 43 

■\v    1110 

vs  H 1110 


Howland,  Abraham  H.    ...  466 

Howland,  Miss  Elizabeth  K.  155 

Howland   Families 

153,  464,  805,  1116,  1323,  1508 

Howland,  Miss  Mary  T...  467 

Howland,  Peleg  C 154 

Howland,  Hon.  Weston  .  . .  467 

Hubbard,  Mrs.   Clara  I 860 

Hudner    Family    1728 

Hudner,  Michael  T.   1729 

Hume,  Miss  E.  Maude   . .  .  556 

Humphrey   Families. .  1625,  1710 

Humphrey,  Galen 1626 

Himiphrey,  George  W 1711 

Hunt,  Dr.  Charles  R 522 

Hunt  Families 334,  521,  1059 

Hunt,  Reuben    1060 

Hussey,  Miss  Emily  Morgan  135 

Hussey,  George 135 

Hussey-Morgan    Family. . .  134 

Ingraham   Family 1784 

Ingraham,  Robert   C......    1785 

Innesa,  Thomas  B. 526 

Ivers,  Miss  Ella  F 265 

Ivers  Family 264 

Ivers,  Samuel 264 

Jackson,  Amos  M.,  M.D...  162 

Jackson,  Elisha   T 1076 

Jackson  Families 160,  1073 

Jackson,  James  F 1076 

Jackson,  John  A 1074 

.Jackson,  John  H.,  M.  D.  . .  161 

Jackson,  Oliver  H.,  M.  D. .  162 

Jackson,  Prescott  H 1075 

Jackson,  Ralph  W.,  M.  D. .  161 

Jean,  Jean  B 1324 

Jenkins  Family 400 

Jenkins,  George  0.- 400 

Jenney   Families    ....1544,  1700 

Jenney,  Mrs.  Mary  A 195 

Jennej',  Mrs.  Mary  E 1545 

Jenney,  Perry    P 1545 

Jennings,  Jlrs.  Annie  B . . .  366 

.Jennings  Family 364 

Jennings,   William  H 365 

Jones,  'Mrs.  Abbie  B 396 

Jones,  Augustus  T 578 

Jones,  Bradford  E 235 

Jones  Families   235,  578 

Jones,  Heni'y  M 397 

Keevey,  Peter   1404 

Keith,  Adelbert  F 18 

Keith,  Allen  P 718 

Keith,  Bela    654 

Keith,  Charles   74 

Keith,  Charles  P 74 

Keith,  Dennis  Gary   23 

Keith,  Edward  A 19 

Keith,  Edward  H 429 

Keith,  Edward  P 1575 

Keith,  Edwin    (Brockton).  778 

Keith,  Edwin   (Taimton)..  183 

Keith,  Eldon  B 23 

Keith,  Elmer    L 1423 

Keith  Families    

14.     71,     184,    267,     426, 
488,  718,  775,  783,  1145, 

1352,    1420,    1465,    1575,  1585 

Keith,  Frank  P 1464 


INDEX 


Kei^.  ,  George  E 20 

■^^•;i'  ,  Harold  C 23 

!Ui."'   ,  Horace  A 267 

.li'"'';-,  Howard   P 1585 

KtiOi,  Martin  L 777 

f;<'!(,li,  Merton  S 1424 

Ktil;:,  Myron  L 25 

K<>)i',  Nahuni    Williams..  1352 

Kftiti  ,  Nathan  1145 

Pvn'ci.,  Preston  B 75 

tftlth,  Roland  M 489 

Keith,  Rufus  P 77 

XjAlh,  Miss  Sarah  E.   .  .  .  185 

■~rM:h,  Capt.  Seth   382 

.     .-'  ,  Simeon  Elliott   ....  430 

;;  ;:    ,  S.  Lorin   400 

y.'.'-  '  ,  Solomon   490 

■■■:.      .,  Wallace  C,  M.  D..  783 

..  ,111,  Warren  R 428 

■>:,■!  .h,  Ziba  C 779 

,  .  Jey,  Charles  S 243 

iV.'jley  Families   241,  1411 

I'.ll.-y,  George  W 888 

i<  (-:'  loy,  Mrs.  Sarah  A 244 

Kf'.ipton,  David  B 937 

KjLi;)ton  Families  ....936,  1026 

Ee.iiDton,  Mrs.  Susan  H...  937 

j'Cem.  John  S 90 

K;it;'irn(Kilbom-ne)  Family  1619 

Killv.irn,  William  J '  1G20 

Kin  uall  Family    130 

King   Family   1165 

Sir;;-,  William  B 1166 

t'^i'^man,  Benjamin  S 1043 

j\  in.^man,  Calvin  D 408 

Jsii.gman  Families 

•109,  913,  974,  1325,  1540,  1643 

Kingman,  Gardner  J 1325 

Kingman,  Herbert  L 913 

Kingman,  Horace   974 

J-'.iiigman,i  Josiah  W 1326 

iZingman,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  . .  410 

Kiiig:man,  Ruins  P 1541 

Kirby  Families 601,  917 

1v,by,  Holder  C,  M.  D..  .  603 

s^iu.wles,  Daniel  M 196 

Jinowles,  Edward  0 196 

Knowles  Family   192 

Knowles,  Henry  M 196 

K,uowle3,  Capt.  John  P.   . .  194 

Knowles,  John  P.,  Jr 195 

is./!.~wles,  Joseph  .  '. 197 

Ki;owles,  Joseph  C 195 

Ki.owles,  Joseph  F 198 

Ivi'owles,  Mrs.  Mary  J.    .  .  195 

ICi/'^wles,  Thomas  H 194 

Knowles,  William   H 196 

Kollock,  Mrs.  Helen  M.    ..  1516 

Kollock,  Lemuel  M 1516 

Lane,  Alonzo  662 

Lane,  Mrs.  Deborah  M.   ...  1404 

Lane,  Maj.  Everett    662 

Lane   Families    060,  1402 

Lane,  George  F 1402 

Lane,  Mrs.  Helen  E 662 

Lane,  Jenkins    661 

Lane,  Richmond  J 661 

Lane,  Zenas  M 662 

Lawrence  Family   1164 

Lawrence,  Miss  Ida  E 1165 


Lawrence,  James  W' 116: 

Lawrence,  Dr.  N.  Louise..  162i 

Lawson  Family 136! 

Lawson,  Frederick  W 1369 

Lawton,  Charles  H 512 

Lawton,  Mrs.  Clara  P.    .  . .  513 

Lawton  Family 511 

Lawton,  Horace  A 512 

Lawton,  Mrs.  Marv  E 512 

Leach  Families.  .  .'380,  382,  1084 

Leach,  Henry  W 1085 

Leach,  James  C 379 

Leach,  Mrs.  Phebc   381 

LeBaron  Families   831,  1035 

Leonard,  Cornelius   II.    ...  1377 

Leonard,  Daniel   B 590 

Leonard  Families   

587,     1217,     1264,     1277,  1378 

Leonard,  Henry  T 589 

Leonard,  Job  M 1265 

Leonard,    Milton   H,,   M.D.  590 

Leonard,  Theodore  W.     .  .  .  1218 

Lewis  Families 211,  1008 

Lewis,  Zcnas  W 1008 

Lincoln,  Edward   346 

Lincoln,  Edward  E 346 

Lincoln  Families.  .  .66,  343,  1010 

Lincoln,  George  A 1012 

Lincoln,  Miss  Helen  B.   . .  .  67 

Lincoln,  Henry   C 346 

Lincoln,  Heniy  E 1012 

Lincoln,  James  M 348 

Lincoln,  Mrs.   Jeauctto  A..  1013 
Lincoln,  Jonathan    T.     (de- 
ceased)      •"44 

Lincoln,  Leoutine     347 

Lincoln,  Lorenzo 348 

Lincoln,  Miss  Mary  E 346 

Lincoln,  Nathaniel  R 348 

Lincoln,  Theodore  G 67 

Lincoln,  Theodore  I; 67 

Lincoln,  Gen.  Tliomas   ....  66 

Lindscy,  Crawford  E 21;i 

Lindsey  Family 214 

Lindsey,  Mrs.  Mary  E 216 

Little  Family 1545 

Lothrop,  Edwin  H 880 

Lothrop    Families 31,  880 

Loud  Family   389 

Loud,  Reuben    '   389 

Lovell,  Dr.  Charles  E 1076 

Lovell   Families 

1076,  1205,  1463,  1624 

Lovell,  George  W 1464 

LovoU,  Samuel  C 1205 

Levering,  Charles  L 63 

Lovering  Family 61 

Lovering,  Henry  j\t 65 

Lovering,  Willard     62 

Lovering,  William  C 64 

Low,  Emery  M 438 

Low  Family  -438 

Luce,  Arthur  G 1687 

Luce  Family    1686 

Luce,  Capt.  Hervey  E 1686 

Luce,  Matthew    1061 

Lund  Family   182 

Lund,  Parkman  M 184 

Luscomb,  Andrew 349 

Lu!'"ii'  ■.  ~'  s.  Mary  M. .  .  .  ' 

Lui.  ..,'1     :■       les   B 

Lu  '  ••     ■      .lilies 683, 


' -■!'  ier,  Joseph  G.  .;. . . 
•  -.■'.ler,  Samuel  M.  I  . . 
-^  „n,  Arthur  V.,  M,.D. 
Lyon  Family   \ . . 

Macomber  Families    .' . 
1144,\l 
Macomber,  Miss  Harriie 
Macomber,  Capt.  John', 
Macomber,  John  C.    .  . ,. 

Macomber,  Joseph  L.  .'....  ili-i\j 

Macy,  Edwin  B 3  . ,  ,  293 

Macy  Family '.  . .  291 

Macy,  Frank  H 294 

Macy,  Frederick    '.. .  29i^ 

Macy,  Frederick  B 29? 

Macy,  George  1 293 

Macy,  James  R 294 

Macy,  Philip  E 294 

Macy,  Tliomas  W 294 

Magiathlin   Family    998 

Maglathlin,  Capt.  Henry  B.  998 

Magri,  Countess    Lavinia..  1674 

Makinson  Family   .'206 

Makinson,  John   F 1206 

Manchester  Family    1005 

Mandell,  Augustus  IT.. M.D.  I'i36 

Mandell   Family    1''35 

Manley,  Albert    1 194 

Manley  Families    ....1191,  1533 

Manley,  Milo  1193 

Mann,  Charles    F 1)74 

Mann   Families    673,  ')4C 

Mann,  Frederick  C 072 

Mann,  Mrs.  Pamelia  L.    .  .  ()74: 

Manning   Family    1611 

Manning,  Lucian    W 1C13 

Marang,  Mrs.  Clara  Swift.  2,57 

Marbel  Family    1557 

Marbel,  Capt.   William   P..  1557 

Marshall   Family    1232 

Marshall,  Howard   T 1234 

Marston,  Arthur  B.,  3d...  1695 

Marston  Family   1693 

Marston,  Harry   L i6Sl^ 

Marston,  Zenas  L ICS  , 

Martin   Family 74  ; 

Marvin  Family   39 

Mavx  in.  Nelson  H 39 

Mii-on   Families    

405,  518,  934,   1048,  104 

Mason,  Francis  A 104- 

Mason,  Frederick    40:- 

Mason,  Herbert  N 105i' 

Maxim,  Charles  M 177' 

Maxim,  Clarence  W 177! 

Maxim   Family    1'^^' 

McCrillis  Family   172' 

McCrillis,  Mrs.  Hetty  T....172J 

McCrillis,  John  S 172/ 

McCullough.  Jolm    508 

McLathlin  Family    1752 

MeWhirr,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  J.  1361 

McWliirr,  Robert  A 1360 

Meaney,  Mrs.    Mary    1462 

Meaney,  Thomas  J 1460 

Mendell,  James   H 1537 

Messingor,   Austin    1376 

H  Family 637 

■  Mshai    125 

Uig  Families   . 


INDEX 


XI 


families   

126,  1004,   1171,  1386,  1419 

aller,  Franklin  H 1172 

Miller,  John   A 1005 

Miller,  Southard  H 1172 

Milliken,  Charles  W.,  M.D.  301 

Milliken  Families    302,  1481 

Milliken,  Mrs.  Helen  K.   . .  197 

Milliken,  Joseph    K 1483 

Mitchell  Families    ....282,  287 

Mitchell,  Herbert    284 

Mitchell,  Isam     283 

Moore,  Charles  E 617 

Morey  Family   541 

Jlorgan,  Charles   W 135 

Morgan    Family 134 

Morse,  Alfred  B 939 

Morse,  Edward  N 939 

Morse  Families   

937,    1433,    1568,  1774 

Morse,  Harrison     1568 

Morse,  John   P 1773 

Morse,  Justin  N 940 

Morse,  Nahum  F 1433 

Morton,  Charles  H 1364 

Morton,  Ephraim  S 1181 

Morton  Families 

,  358,  548,  901,   1182,  1363 

Morton,  Herbert  A 551 

Morton,  James  M.,  LL.  D.  359 

Morton,  James   M.,   3d 360 

Morton,  Hon.   Marcus    .63,  551 

Morton,  Thomas   J 550 

Miinro  (Munroe)  Family.  .  1775 

Munroe,  Miss  Charlotte  B.  1776 

Munroe,  Josiah     1776 

•  ash,  Mrs.  Clara  J 922 

ash  Families    920,  1151 

ash,  Thomas  N 921 

\eill,  Hon.   Joseph   0 739 

■eill,  Mrs.  Marv  J.  Conant  739 

Tclson   Families   458,  1546,  1589 

■elson,  Mrs.  Hannah 

Coomer 460 

elson,  John  H 1589 

i-elson,  Mrs.  Mary  D.  W.  .  1592 

Kelson,  Sidney  Tucker    .  .  .  1549 

Nelson,  William    H 459 

•lewcomb  Families    .  .  .  159,  820 

Miwcomb,  Miss  Harriot  A. 

67,  160 

'  feWcomb,  Nathaniel    159 

^cwoomb,  Mrs.  Sarah  J... 

822,  847 

'fewcomb,  Washington  L.  .  821 

■'■fewton,  Mrs.  James  E .  .  .  .  984 

fickerson.  Capt.  Alfred    . .  173 

.-foyes,  Edward  0 1503 

■■foyes  FamJIv    1503 

Nutter,  Charles   L 255 

Nutter  Faiiiily    253 

Nutter,  Isaac  N 254 

K  utter,  Richard  W 255 

Nye,  Charles  H 412 

Nye,  Charles  H.,  Jr 413 

Nye,  David   D 1261 

Nye  Families. 329,  412,  785 

1103,  1107,  1234,  1356,  1743 

Nye,  James  H 1234 

Nye,  Obed     785 

Nye,  Mrs.  Susan  C 1104 

Nye,  Thomas   1104 


Nye,  Willard   330 

Nye,  Willard,  Jr 331 

Nye,  William  F 1107 

Nye,  William   L 1357 

Oesting,  F.    William    982 

Oesting,  Mrs.  Violetta  C.  982 

Osborn   Family    37 

Osborn,  Mrs.  Hannah  F.  .  .  532 

Osborn,  James  E 40 

Osborn,  James   M 39 

Osborn,  Judge  Joseph   ....  37 

Osborn,  Weaver    38 

Osborn,  William  J 37 

Osborne  Family 750 

Osborne,  William   H.     ..'.  .  752 

Packard,  Mrs.  AUie  V.  ...  1148 

Packard,  Davis  S 78 

Packard,  DeWitt  Clinton .  .  081 

Packard,  Elmer  C 513 

Packard   Families   78,    111,  326, 

513,  520,  604,  681,  1214,  1258 

1374,    1488,    1636,    1702,  1752 

Packard,  Frederick    Ill 

Packard,  Fred  H 604 

Packard,  Fred  L 1216 

Packard,  George  A 1702 

Packard,  Mrs.  Harriet  J...  1753 

Packard,  Josiah   Q 1488 

Packard,  Martin 1636 

Packard,  Moses  A 326 

Packard,  Nathan  F 1752 

Packard,  Nathaniel  R.    .  . .  520 

Packard,  Robert  H 1374 

Packard,  Sidney  E 1215 

Packard,  Stunner  T 80 

Packard,  Warren  B 606 

Page    (Paige)    Family   ....  556 

Paige,  Nomus,  M.  D 556 

Paige,  Dr.  Onias   558 

Paine,  A.  Elliot,  M.  D 905 

Paine   Family    903 

Park  Family   1758 

Park,  Frederick  Waldo   ...  1758 

Parker,  David  L 1017 

Parker  Families 1016,  1271 

Parker,  Capt.  Josiah   1467 

Parker,  Ward  M 1016 

Parker,  William  C 1271 

Parker,  William  N 1466 

Partridge,  Miss  Deborah  A.  1372 

Partridge  Family   1371 

ParUl,  Mrs.  Abbie  F 142 

Paull,  Elbridge  G 1690 

PauU  Families  ..141,  1493,  1689 

Paull,  John    141 

Pearse  Family 1099 

Pearse,  George  G 1102 

Pearse,  William  G 1102 

Pearse,  William      H.,      de- 
ceased      1101 

Pearse.  William  H 1102 

Peck,  Capron   1201 

Peck,  Clarence   A 748 

Peck  Families 746,  1200 

Peck,  Frank    0 749 

Peck,  Herbert  L 748 

Peck,  Jathniel  A 746 

Peck,  Miss  Lvdia  D 1202 

Peck,  Russell  A 748 

Peckham,  Anson  C.,M.  D..  1037 


Peckham  Families   . . .  1038,  1528 

Peckham,  Henry  C 1527 

Peirce,  Mrs.   Amanda   E. . .  34 

Peirce,  Charles  M.,  Jr.   ...  34 

Peirce  Family 810 

Peirce,  Hon.  James  P 810 

Penney  Family   1725 

Penney,  Justin  B 1725 

Percival,  Henrv  M 936 

Perkins  Families 

,■  231,    '312,    --647,      1148, 

1485,    1588,    1600,    1721,  1739 

Perldns,  George  A 1486 

Perkins,  Henry    647 

Perkins,  James    1588 

Perkins,  Merritt  G 233 

Perkins,  Oscar  C 232 

Perkins,  Stillman  S 1721 

Perkins,  Thomas  H 1486 

Perkins,  William    (2)    1601 

Perry,  Alonzo  W 1160 

Perry,  Augustus  -F 1698 

Perry  Families 1160,  1698 

Perry,  Mrs.  Lucy  M 464 

Perry,  Mrs.  Susan  B 1699 

Philbrick,  Mrs.  Annie  E. . .  349 

Phillips  Family 928 

Phillips,  Capt.  Jacob  B.  . . .  800 

Phillips,  Lot    928 

Pickens  Families.  .411,  641,  811 

Pierce,  Alfred    533 

Pierce,  A.  Martin,  M.  D . . .  33 

Pierce,  Andrew  G 35 

Pierce,  Anthony    910 

Pierce,  Mrs.  Caroline  L...  36 

Pierce,  Charles  S 157 

Pierce,  Miss  Clara 911 

Pierce       (Pearce,      Pearse) 

Families  32,  155,  533,  910,  1491 

Pierce,  George  R 157 

Pierce,  James    1491 

Pierce,  Mrs.  Lizzie  J 34 

Pierce,  Mrs.  Mary 1492 

Pierce,  Otis  N 36 

Pitts  Families    718,  1355. 

Pitts,  Joseph  S 1355 

Poisson,  Joseph    1260 

Poole,  Benjamin  F 1058 

Poole   Families.  1057,    1136,  1449 

Poole,  Isaac    B 1449 

Poole,   I.   Chester 1450 

Poole,  Jerome  B 1060 

Pope,  Charles  E 1455 

Pope   Families    922,  1454 

Porter  Family   628 

Porter,  Henry  S 628 

Porter,  John    568 

Potter,  Andrew  H 1285 

Potter,  Capt.  Alden  T.   .  . .  1043 

Potter  Families   1043,  1284 

Potter,  Warren  B 1286 

Potter,  William   F 1287 

Pratt,  Augustus    1338 

Pratt,  Dr.  Charles  A 569 

Pratt,  Charles  H 1372 

Pratt   Families.. 796,  1251, 

1338,    1342,    1350,    1372,  1382 

Pratt,  Henry  K 1251 

Pratt,  Henry  T 1352 

Pratt.  Mrs.  Jennie  E 1251 

Pratt,  Joseph     1381 


Xll 


INDEX 


Pratt,  Mrs.  M.  Adah 1452 

Pratt,  .  Prescott  H 1341 

Presbrey  Family 797 

Presbrey,  Mrs.  Fannie  S. .  .  SOO 

Presbrey,  Silas  D.,  M.  D.. .  708 

Presbrey,  William   L 799 

Proctor  Family  1702 

Puffer  F-amily   575 

Puffer,  Dr.  Loring  W 575 

Quinby  Family   822 

Quinby,  Oliver   B 822 

Randall  Family 1732 

Randall,  George  H 1732 

Rankin  Family   1556 

Rankin,  Mrs.  Kate  J 1557 

Rankin,  William 1556 

Rankin.  William  J 1557 

Read,  Alexander,  M.  D.   . .  92 

Read,  Benjamin  B 1407 

Read,  Mrs.  Cynthia  A 620 

Eead(e)  Families 

91,  540,  619,  1407 

Read,  Joseph  R 619 

Read,  Paddock  R 540 

Read,  William  A 92 

Reade    (Reed)    Families... 

49,  341,  853 

Reed,  Arthur  B 388 

Reed,  Edward  P 387 

Reed  (Reade)  Families  ... 

49,    341,   386,   859,    1151,  1670 

Reed,  Mrs.  Georgiana  S .  . .  388 

Reed,  Henry  G 860 

Reed,  Mrs.  Joseph  S 1789 

Reed,  L.  Alston 342 

Reed,  Lucius    341 

Reed,  Hon.  Warren  A 49 

Remington,  Clinton  V.  S..  175 
Remington,  Mrs.    Elizabeth 

A.   .    174 

Remington  Family   173 

Remington,  Hale 175 

Remington,  Joshua 281 

Remington,  Robert  K 173 

Reynard,  Capt.  Robert  P..  .  1018 

Reynard,  Capt.  William  H.  919 

Reynolds,  Bion  F 658 

Reynolds,  Charles  T 656 

Reynolds,  Edmund  D 1670 

Reynolds,  Mrs.  Ellen  K . .  .  653 

Reynolds,  Mrs.  Emily  J .  . .  1205 

Reynolds,  Miss  Emma  D..  1432 

Reynolds,  Enos  H 1202 

Reynolds   Families  051,  655, 

75(.,     1202,     1398,     1429,  1671 

Reynolds,  Isaac   N 1398 

Reynolds,  Jay  B 657 

Reynolds,  Jonas    651 

Reynolds,  Lowell  M 657 

Reynolds,  Luke  W 659 

Reynolds,  Mrs.   Minnie  I..  738 

Reynolds,  Philip   1428 

Reynolds,  Mrs.  Sarah   S. . .  657 

Rhodes  Family    420 

Rhodes,  George  H 421 

Rhodes,  John  B 422 

Rhodes,  John  C 422 

Rhodes,  Marcus  M 421 

Rice,  Charles  L 1123 

Rice,  Clarence  E 1126 

Rice    Family    1121 


Rice,  John  A 1122 

Richards,  Sirs.  Winifred  C.  1129 

Richardson   Familj'    541 

Richardson,  Heniy  A 542 

Richardson,  Miss  Linda    .  .  542 

Roarty  Family    1 308 

Roarty,  James   A 1308 

Robbins,  Benjamin  W.    ...  1610 

Robbins   Fam'ily    1610 

Robbins,  Mrs.  Frank  B.   . .  .   922 

Robertson,  John  T 739 

Rodman  Family    384 

Rodman,  Miss  Julia  W.   .  .  386 

Rodman,  Thomas  R 384 

Rogers,  Asa 1511 

•'  Rogers  Families 203,  430 

Rogers,  Frank  L 1653 

Rogers,  Henry   Huttleston .  430 

Rogers,  Capt.  John    1652 

Rotch  Family    247 

Rotch,  Morgan    249 

Rotch,  William   J 248 

Rounseville,  Alden,  Jr.    .  .  .  1640 

Rounseville,  Cyrus  C 202 

Rounseville    Families.  .201,  1640 

Rugg,  Cliarles   P 1042 

Rugg  Family  1641 

Rugg,  Mrs.  'iMary  P 1642 

Ruggles  Family  952 

Ruggles,  John  A 052 

Ruggles.  Mrs.  Susan  R.    .  .  953 

Russell  Families.. 743,  885,  1247 

Russell,  George  T 885 

Russell,  Henry  T 887 

Russell,  Mrs.  Ruble  D.   .  . .  888 

Sampson,  Elnathan  T.    .  .  .  1282 

Sampson   Families    

1034,    1282,  1661 

Sampson,  George  R 1034 

Sanford,  Baalis     545 

Sanford,  Dr.    Edward    931 

Sanford,  Rev.  Enoch,  D.  D.  931 

Sanford  Families    

185.  545,   930,  1573 

Sanford,  John  Elliott   187 

Sanford,  Miss  Kate  1 188 

Sanford.  ]\liss  L.  Augusta.  931 

Sanford,  Philip  H 1653 

Sanford,  Samuel  T 1574 

Sanford,  Mrs.  Sarah  A....  1653 

Sanford,  Mrs.  Susan   1575 

Savery  Families 1569,  1625 

Sawin,  Ezekiel   R 1388 

Sawin  Family   1386 

Sayer,  Miss   Caroline   M...  1119 

Sayer  Family    1118 

Sayer,  Frederic  L 1119 

Sayer,  William  L 1119 

Scates  Family   1535 

Scates,  John    1535 

Seabury,  Alexander  H.    .  .  .  81 

Seabury,  Charles  P 571 

Seabury  Families 80,  569 

Seabury,  Miss  Helen  H....  571 

Seabury,  Humphrey  W.    .  .  570 

Seabury,  Miss  Mary  B.  .  . .  571 

Seabury,  Mrs.  Sarah  W.  ..  571 

Sears,  Chaunccy  H 168 

Sears  Families   166,  638 

Sears,  Henry  W 640 

Severance  Family 1 156 

Severance,  Lorenzo  F 1157 


Se.  Mrs.  Slarv  1 

Sh'iw,  .tlett  M.  .'. . 
Shaw,  Benjamin  C.  .  . 
Sliaw,  Capt.  Charles  F. 
Shaw,  Mrs.  Etta  F.   .  . 

Shaw,  Eugene  E 

Shaw  Families 

343,   607,    696,   828,   865, 

972,     1041,    1185,     1505,  1598 

Shaw,  Francis  E 670 

Shaw,  Francis   M 068 

Shaw,  Job  L 1187 

Shaw,  John  J.,  M.  D 865 

Shaw,  Josepli     1505 

Shaw,  Linus  H 669 

Shaw,  William  H 1597 

Sherman,  Albert  S 1555 

Sherman,  Elbridge  G 1358 

Sherman  Families  468,  1170,  1358, 

1519,    1553,    1571,    1720,  1756 

Sherman,  James  L 1572 

Sherman,  Nathaniel  B.   . .  .  1756 

Sherman,  Nelson 407 

Sherman,  Wilson    1553 

Short  Family 888 

Short,  Mace  B.  " 888 

Short,  Mrs.  Nancy  B 890 

Shove,  Charles  M 119 

Shove,  Charles  0 .'.  118 

Shove,  Edward    119 

Shove  Family    117 

Shove,  Mrs.    Sarah   Elmen- 

dorf    120 

Shove.  Walter   Frank    120 

Shurtletr,  Albert  T 710 

Shurtleff  Families  709,  959,  J384 

Shurtleff,  Mrs.  Maria  Y  rm 
Shurtleff,  Nathaniel  F. 
Shurtleff,  Walter  D.,  M 

Simmons  Family 

Sinunons.  John    

Sisson,  Arnold  B 

Sisson,  Mrs.  Hannah  A. 

Sladc,  Abbott  E 

Slade,  Abner    

Slade,  David  F 

Slade  Families 

471,  649,  708,  1085,  I'. 

Sladc,  George  W 

Sladc.  John   L l  Mi- 

Slade,  John  P 'iof' 

Slade,  Jonathan    17? 

Slade,  l\Irs.  Lois  A liSO 

Slade,  Nathan   1'I85 

Slade,  William  L -17^ 

Slade,  William  W 474 

Small  Family 77? 

Small,  Reuben  C 77? 

Smith,  Dr.  Andrew  J 732 

Smith,  Bradford   ['30 

Smith  Families  847,  V!80 

Smith,  Irani     1791 

Smith,  Mrs.  Timothy .U;7 

Snell,  David  A 1633 

Snell   Families    1394.  1032 

Snell,  Varanus     1394 

Snow  Families   ..208,  1345,  1437 

Snow,  George  G 209 

Snow,  George  H 21 1 

Snow,  Herbert  E 210 

Snow,  Levi  M 1345 

Snow,  Loum  1439 

Snow,  Robert   1440 


INDEX 


Xlll 


Soule  Faiiiil.es    

■  40,    842,    1007,   1089 

Soule,  Genri.e   D 1000 

Soule,  Miv-..  Haiinnh 1090 

Soule,  Oalccs  S 1089 

Soule,  Eufus  A 451 

Soule,  Tlioinas  H 453 

Southwoitl.,  Echvavd   1539 

Soutlnvoitl.,  Miss  Ella  F...  1539 
Soutlittortii  Families  1539,  1621 
Soutliwort'i,  jMaicus  C...    1621 

Sparc  Family 373 

Spare.  Pr.  joliii   374 

Spare,  Joiin  V 375 

Sparrow  Family  1068 

Sparrov,  Frank  M 1072 

Sparrov,',  Harry  P 1070 

Sparroiv,  Jacob  A 1070 

Sparrow,  Solomon  E 1071 

SparrcM',  Dr.  William  E...  1071 
Sparro.v,  William  E.,  Jr..    1071 

Spenci,  Mrs.  Anne  F 266 

Spemc,  James  W 267 

Sjienie,  John    266 

Sperioe.  William  H 267 

Sprcat  Family 1418 

Sprcat,  Horace  M 1418 

Sta.y  Family 1172 

Stacy.  William  H 1172 

.St.-ndish  Family 1292 

.Staples.  Mrs.  Alice  M 105 

Stiples  Family 103 

Staples,  Herbert  M 104 

S.aples.  Sylvanus  N 103 

Starrett,  Artlinv  P 1760 

f-tenrns,  Mrs.  Caroline  W..    1093 

Stetirns  Family   1092 

Stearns,  William  L 1092 

Stetson  Families 257,     603 

Stetson,  George  W 260 

Stetson,  John  M 260 

Stiitson,  Nahum  (deceased)     258 

Stetson,  Nnhum    260 

Stetson,  Mrs.  Ruth  B.  .  .  .  200 
Stoddard,  Mrs.  Sarah  M...  1388 

S;robridge  Family    1492 

S;udley.  Ezekiel  'E 903 

Studlev  Families 826,     902 

Studley,  Gideon    S27 

Sturdy,  Albert  W 500 

Sturdy,  Charles  A 500 

Sturdy,  Charles  H 500 

■Sturdy  Family 496 

,'^t,urdy,  Frederic  E 498 

Sturdy,  James  H 499 

Sturdy,  John  F 497 

Sturdy,  William    A 497 

Sturtevant  Family 1742 

Sullivan,  Mrs.  Catherine  E.    1005 

Sullivan,  John  B 1604 

Sumner  Family 260 

Swain,  David   G 1758 

Swain   Family   1758 

Swan  Family 1656 

Swan,  Henry   S..   M.D 1650 

Swan,  Mrs.   Matilda   J....    1659 

Sweet,  Andrew   H 1376 

Sweet   Families 1376,    1789 

Sweet,  Frank   R 1789 

Swift,  Hon.  Charles  Francis  1294 
Swift,  Miss   Elizabeth    P..    1561 

Swift   Families 

114,  199,  256,  1295,  1459,  1559 


Swift,  Franklyn  K 200 

Swift,  Frederick  C 1296 

Swift,  Humphrey  Hatha\vay    115 

Swift,  Moses  C 1561 

Swift,  Noble  P 256 

Swift,  Rodolphus   Nye 200 

Sylvester,  Charles  F   908 

S3'lvester   Families 862,  907 

Sylvester,  Frederick   0 909 

Sylvester,  George    1 909 

Sylvester,  IMrs.   Laura  G . .  909 

Sylvester,  Robert    864 

Sylvia,  Antone   L 1609 

Taber,  Charles    S 786 

Taber,  Edward   S 206 

Taber  Families 

205,  474,  711,  786,  1024 

Taber,  Frederic 476 

Taber,  George  H 712 

Taber,  Capt.   Jacob    463 

Taber,  Jolm   H 712 

Taber,  Mrs.  Laura  H 786 

Taber,  Miss  Mary  Kempton  1026 

Taber,  William  G 1025 

Talbot  Family 665 

Talbot,  George  H 665 

Tannatt  Family 1743 

Tannatt.  James  C 1743 

Tappan,  Charles  H 272 

Tappan,  Ephraim   H 271 

Tai)pan  Family 270 

Tappan,  Mrs.  Fannie  M...     273 

Tappan,  Frank  E 273 

Tappan,  William    C 272 

Taj'lor,  James  B 1388 

Terry  Families.  .1253,  1635,  1699 

Terry,  Isaiah  F 1099 

Terry,  Joseph   C 1253 

Terry,  Capt.  Phineas 1635 

Tew  Family   1006 

'Tliacher   Family f 68 

Thaeher,  John   070 

Thacher,  William  T 971 

Thayer  Families   ..18,  763,     767 

Thomas,  Mrs.  Annie  C 901 

Thomas   Families 899,   1445 

Thompson,  Albert  G 169 

Thompson   Families 

169,' 755,  ,956 
Thompson.  INIrs.  Marcia  A.  172 
Thompson.  William  M.    ...      956 

Tliomas,  William  A 900 

Tliomson    (Tliompson)    Fa- 
mily        1«" 

Thorne,  William   H l/li^ 

Tlioniton   Family    847 

Thornton,  Elisha.  Jr S48 

Thornton,  John  R 848 

Thumb,  Jlrs.  General  Tom    1674 

Thurber  Family 1347 

Tlnirbcr,  Zimri    1347 

Tluirston,  Anthony 1724 

Thurston    Family 1723 

'Oiurston,  Frank   A 1725 

Tilliiighast,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  L.1445 

Tillinghast     Family 1443 

Tillinghast,  John  T 1443 

Tillinghast.  Joseph     1446 

Tillson   Family 1577 

Tillson,  Henry  H 1S78 

Tillson.  Mrs.  LTdia  C 1578 

Tilton.  Charles' W 1096 


Tilton  Family 1696 

Tobey  Families   ..205,  305,  1220 

Tobey,   William  H ....  1221 

Toriey  Family 1053 

Torrey,  George    W 1056 

Torrey,  Josiah  A 1054 

Totman    Family 828 

Totman,  Horace  C 828 

Townsend  Family 1664 

Townsend,  Mrs.   W.   C 296 

TrafTord,  Allison    W 425 

Trafford,  Andrew    R 424 

TrafTord,  Bernard   W......  425 

TrafTord,  Charles   A.......  424 

Trafford  Family 422 

TralTord,  Henry  L 425 

Trafiord,  Orrin  F 425 

TrafTord,  Perry    D 425 

Trafford,  William  C 424 

Tribou,  Charles   E 1033 

Tribou  Family 1032 

Tribou,  John  A 1033 

Tripp,  Arnold  G 1521 

Tripp,  Azariah   S 275 

Tripp,  David    K 916 

Tripp  Families 274,  916,  1520 

Tripp,  Miss  Katharine  M..  917 

Tripp,  Philip  E 277 

Tripp,  Hon.  Philip  J 275 

Tripp,  Thomas  A 1521 

Trow  Family 1708 

Trow,  Frederick  L 1708 

Trow,  Mrs.  Olive  H.  M. . . .  1710 

Tucker,  Abram  R 1093 

Tucker,  Almon  H ..  1137 

Tucker,  Charles 1222 

Tucker,  Edward  T.,  il.D..  694 

Tucker,  Ervin   A.,   M.D 1138 

Tucker  Families 

510,     092,     1002,      109,3, 

1137,  1222 

Tupper,  Mrs.  Mary  Akin..  844 

Turner   Family 864 

Turner,  l\Irs.  Fannie  H.  .  . .  795 

Turner,  Joseph  S 794 

Tuttle,  Elias   A 1159 

Tj'ler  Family 1744 

Vigueron  Family 375 

Wade,  Hon.  Albert  R. .  .  . .     702 

Wade  Family 702 

Wade,  Mrs.   Susan   H 704 

Wadsworth  Family 1433 

Waitc,  Benjamin   H 1335 

Waite   Family 1334 

Waite,  Miss  Florence  L 1335 

Walker  Family 749 

^Valker,  George  H 714 

Walker,  William  E 750 

^\'arner  Family 574 

Warner,  Richard  E 575 

Warren  Families 615,  1676 

Washburn,  Col.    Abr.am...     881 
Washburn,  Mrs.  Annie  R.731,  733 

Washburn,  Azel    1754 

Washburn,  Charles  G 596 

Washburn,  Clinton  .......     699 

Washburn,  Elliott,  M.  D..     596 

Washburn  Families 

188,    522,    593,   608,    698, 

7.32.   872,  882,   1754,  1781 
Washburn,  Francis  B    1782 


XIV 


Washburn,  Fiederie  A 872 

Washburn,  George  A 595 

Washburn,  George  R 1783 

Washburn,     Miss      Harriet 

M.  S 1754 

Washburn,  Herbert  T 732 

Washburn,  Mrs.  Mary  B .  .  723 

Washburn,  Mrs.  Mary  J.  . .  874 

Washburn,  Dr.     Nahuin ...  698 

Washburn,  Nathan 190 

Washburn,  Thomas   J 597 

Waterman  Family 1223 

Waterman,  Fred    E 1224 

Watkins,  Miss  Emma  E .  .  .  285 

Watkins  Family 284 

Watkins,  William 284 

Watson,  Benjamin   M 926 

Watson  Family 927 

Watson,  Tliomas    R 928 

Weeks,  Mrs.  Andrew  G  .  .  . .  207 

Weeks  Family 1G79 

Weeks,  Capt.  William 1679 

Weeks,  William  ,f.,  M.  D.  .  1680 

'. .  ellington  Family 856 

■  ellington.  Dr.  James  L..  856 

'eston  Families 460,  946 

'eston,  Lon    946 

.'etherell  Family 1269 

Wethcrell,  Orin  "B 1270 

We.xel,  Mrs.  Helen  A 1048 

Wexel,  Henry    1047 

Wheeler,  Mrs.   Ada  W 1085 

Wheelock  Family 399 

Whipple    Families 249,  1338 

Whipple,  Col.  John  J 249 

White,  Andrew  M.  W.,M.D.  982 

White,  Charles  P 372 

White,  Dr.  Charles  W 961 

White,  Mrs.  Eliza  C 963 

White  Families  . . : 

100,  370,  390,  '  961 

White,  Francis  E 890 

White,  Hon.  Jonathan 100 

White,  Mrs.  Margaret  T .  . .  372 

Whiting,  Edward  B 944 

Whiting  Family 943 

Whiting,  Miss  Susan  A.  . .  944 


Whitman   Family 220 

Whitman,  William  E 222 

Whitman,  William  P 220 

Whitmarsh,  Ezra  S 1134 

Whitmarsh  Families 

1134,  1188,  1537 

Whitmarsh,  Frederic    P....  1188 

Whitmarsh,  Irving  F 1537 

Whitney,  Amasa  378 

Whitney,  Miss  Emma  M.  .  .  378 

Whitney  Family 376 

Wilbar,  Charle.s  A 1090 

Wilbar     (Wilbor,    Wilbur) 

Families 1090,  1272,  1400 

Wilbor,  Alfred  G 1400 

Wilbor    (Wilbur)     Families 

744,  1272,  1400 

Wilbor,  Mrs.  Louise  A....  1402 

Wilbur,  Daniel    1273 

Wilbur     ( Wilbor,    Wilbar ) 

Families 1090,   1272,  1400 

Wilbur,  George    E 744 

Wilcox,  Benjamin 1082 

Wilcox   Families 479,  1080 

AVileo.x,  Miss   Susan  A....  1440 

Wilco.x,  Thomas  480 

Wilcox,  Tliomas  B 1080 

Wilkinson    Family 262 

Wilkinson,  Samuel  W 1259 

Williams,  Mrs.  Adelaide  N. 

104,  585 

Williams   Families 582,  1592 

Williams,  George  B 586 

Williams,  Joseph    1592 

Williams,  Mrs.  Josephine  T.  1445 

Williams,  Lewis    585 

Williams,  Mrs.   Mary  Hor- 

ton   919 

Williams,  Miss   Sarah   B..  587 

Willis,  Arthur  H 964 

Willis.  Charles  E 1737 

Willis,  Edward   M 1736 

Willis  Families.  .963.  1139,  1735 

Willis,  Capt.  James  M 1139 

Willis,  Nathan  E 964 

Willis,  William  H 1735 

Williston,  Charles   H 1714 


Williston   Family 1713 

Wilmarth  Family 1129 

Wilmarth,  Williair  D 1130 

Wing,  Charles  F 1239 

Wing  Families 1095,  1238 

Winslow,  Capt.  Albert 1288 

Winslow,  Miss  Betsey  3...  1112 

Winslow  Families 

364,  1111,  1288 

Winslow,  Miss  Hope 1289 

Winslow,  Hudson   1113 

Winslow,  William  B 1111 

Winsor,  Miss  Ellen  A 500 

Winsor  Family 542 

Winsor,  Walter  P 544 

Winstanley,  Emanuel 1632 

Winstanley  Family 1632 

Winstanley,  James  H 1632 

Winstanley,  Miss  Lizzie  B.  1632 

Winter,  Everett  H 599 

Winter  Family 597 

Winter,  Sanford    597 

Wood  Families 845,  1157 

Wood,  George  S 845 

Wood,  Nathan  M 1157 

Woodard,  Horace  F 623 

Wordell,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  D.  St92 

Wordell  Families 

1152,  1468,  1653 
Wordell,  Marcus  M 
Wordell,  Rodney  D 
Wordell,  Rufus  E .  . 
Wright,  Augustus  I 
Wright,  Barzillai  E 
Wright,  Edmund  . 
Wright,  Ellery  C.  . 
Wright,  El  win  T.  .  . 
Wright  Families.  .  .. 
Wright,  Rev.  Horac 
Wright,  Mrs.  Jane 

Wright,  Mrs.  Pamelia  sx.  .  y& 

Wright,  Theodore  F 94 

Young,  John  M 1593 

Zuill   Family 1608 

Zuill,  Robert  W 1608 


Genealogy — Biography 


AALIS  SANFORD.  Various 
members  of  the  Sanford  family 
in  Massachusetts  have  been 
prominent  in  their  day  as  cler- 
gymen, educators  and  mer- 
chants, but  none  lived  a  nobler 
life  or  held  a  warmer  place  in 
the  hearts  of  his  fellow  men  than 
Baalis  Sanford,  of  Brockton,  of  whom  this 
artic'e  is  especially  to  treat.  Not  only  was 
he  the  oldest  active  business  man  of  the  city 
\rith  regard  to  age,  but  as  well  in  point  of  serv- 
ice, and  during  his  long  and  continued  career 
as  a  business  man  he  was  the  embodiment  of  all 
that  is  straightforward,  upright  and  honorable, 
and  he  could  feel  an  especial  pride  in  the  fact, 
in  the  evening  of  his  well  spent  life,  that  he  had 
been  an  honor  to  the  name  he  bore.  This 
"grand  old  man,"  for  such  he  was  acknowledged 
to  be  by  hosts  of  his  admirers,  was  faithful  in 
small  things,  and  therefore  great  in  large  things. 
Baalis  Sanford  was  born  Oct.  4,  183.3,  in  East 
Bridgewater,  Mass.,  son  of  the  late  Rev.  Baalis 
and  Abby  (Burt)  Sanford,  a  member  of  a  time- 
honored  family,  a  history  of  which,  together 
with  the  record  of  the  life  achievements  of  this 
highly  respected  citizen  of  Brocldon,  follows, 
the  generations  being  given  in  chronological 
order. 

(I)  John  Sanford,  the  first  settler  by  that 
name  in  New  England,  reached  Boston  in  1631, 
and  his  name  stands  one  hundred  and  eighth  on 
the  list  of  church  membership.  He  was  sworn 
a  freeman  April  3,  1633,  and  the  same  year 
made  cannoneer  of  the  fort.  Gov.  Thomas 
Hutchinson  mentioned  him  among  the  distin- 
guished citizens  [Hirt.,  Vol.  I,  p.  73].  There 
is  a  record  of  his  baptism  at  Alford,  in  Lincoln- 
shire, England,  Jan.  15,  1618.  He  had  an  an- 
cestor in  the  battle  of  Hastings,  A.  D.  1066, 
when  William  of  Normandy  conquered  England, 

35 


and  distributed  the  land  among  his  faithful 
officers.  This  ancestor  must  have  been  an 
officer,  as  his  name  appears  on  the  battle  roll, 
and  as  a  reward  for  his  services  he  received  the 
lordship  of  Sanford.  This  was  his  title,  and  he 
relinquished  his  own  name  and  received  that  of 
Sanford.  In  the  year  1637  John  Sanford,  at 
Boston,  was  disarmed,  that  is,  deprived  of  his 
civil  privileges,  because  of  his  support  of  John 
Wheelwright  and  Mrs.  Anne  Hutchinson  in 
their  controversy  with  the  Colonial  authorities. 
In  December  he  left  Boston  for  Aquidneck, 
now  the  island  of  Rhode  Island,  with  William 
Coddington,  Edward  Hutchinson  and  sixteen 
others,  having  made,  as  the  records  show,  an 
honest  purchase  of  the  island.  He  was  chosen 
constable  for  the  year  1640,  and  lieutenant 
Jan.  13,  1644.  The  three  settlements  were 
united  by  a  common  charter  in  1647,  and  on 
May  21st  he  was  chosen  assistant  governor,  and 
acted  as  coroner.  He  was  reelected  general 
assistant  May  23,  1649 ;  chosen  general  treas- 
urer of  the  Colony  May  23,  1655;  general  re- 
corder and  treasurer.  May  20,  1656;  and 
"clarke"  of  the  General  Assembly,  Roger  Wil- 
liams at  the  same  time  having  been  chosen 
moderator.  He  was  reelected  "clarke"  in  1657- 
58.  He  was  later  deputy  for  Portsmouth  in 
the  General  Assembly  at  Newport;  and  Oct. 

31,  1677,  one  of  the  committee  to  lay  out  East 
Greenwich.  He  was  married  (first)  about  the 
time  he  went  to  Boston  to  Elizabeth  Webb,  sis- 
ter of  Henry  Webb.  Their  children  were :  John, 
baptized  June  34,  1632 ;  Samuel,  baptized  June 

32,  1634;  and  Eliphalet,  baptized  in  December, 
1637.  He  married  (second)  Bridget,  daughter 
of  the  celebrated  Anne  Hutchinson. 

(II)  John  Sanford,  son  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth (Webb),  was  baptized  June  24,  1633.  He 
was  admitted  a  freeman  at  the  General  Assem- 
bly held  at  Newport  May  17,  1653,  at  the  age 


64  a 


of  twenty-one.  He  was  a  man  of  learning  and 
filled  high  office  in  the  Colony.  He  married, 
April  8,  1654,  Elizabeth,  eldest  daughter  of 
Henry  Sparhurst,  of  Bermuda.  She  died  Dec. 
6,  1660.  This  marriage  was  blessed  with  chil- 
dren as  follows :  Elizabeth,  born  July  11,  1655 ; 
Mary,  Aug.  18,  1656;  Susanna,  July  31,  1658; 
and  Rebecca,  June  23,  1660.  John  Sanford 
married  (second)  April  11,  1663,  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  Rev.  Samuel  Gorton,  of  Warwick,  and 
widow  of  Peter  Green.  To  this  union  were 
born:  Mary,  March  3,  1664;  Eliphalet,  Feb. 
20,  1666;  John,  June  18,  1672;  and  Samuel, 
Oct  5,  1677. 

(III)  John  Sanford,  son  of  John  and  third 
of  the  name,  was  born  June  18,  1672.  He  lo- 
cated in  Taunton,  tliat  is  Berkley,  about  1713, 
on  July  1st  of  which  year  he  married  Abigail 
Pitts,  born  1689,  daughter  of  Samuel  Pitts,  of 
Taunton,  granddaughter  of  Peter  Pitts,  great- 
granddaughter  of  Peter  Pitts  and  Edward  Bab- 
bitt, of  Taunton,  and  great-granddaughter  of 
Miles  Tarne,  of  Boston.  She  received  from  her 
father  a  tract  of  land  described  in  Liber  4, 
page  150.  Her  brothers  were:  Peter,  Eben- 
ezer  and  Samuel.  Jolm  Sanford  was  a  large 
landowner  and  is  described  in  one  of  the  records 
as  a  mason  by  trade.  To  him  and  his  wife 
Abigail  was  born,  among  others,  a  son  George. 

(IV)  Lieut.  George  Sanford,  son  of  John 
and  Abigail  (Pitts),  born  in  1724,  lived  to  the 
good  old  age  of  ninety-six  years.  He  was  an 
officer  in  the  French  war,  serving  under  Gen- 
eral Wolfe  at  the  capture  of  Quebec.  He  mar- 
ried Mary    (or  Mercy)    Phillips    (1727-1793). 

(V)  Capt.  Joseph  Sanford,  of  Berkley, 
Mass.,  son  of  Lieut.  George,  was  a  patriot  of  the 
Revolution,  serving  in  1776  and  1777  in  dif- 
ferent organizations  and  enlisting  in  1778  in 
the  Continental  army  for  a  period  of  nine 
months  "from  the  time  of  their  arrival  in  Fish- 
kill,"  in  Capt.  Ebenezer  Paul's  (2d)  company. 
Col.  Edward  Pope's  (2d  Bristol  County)  regi- 
ment ;  age  seventeen  years ;  stature,  five  feet,  ten 
inches ;  complexion,  dark ;  hair,  black ;  residence 
Berkley.  He  died  in  1634.  He  was  a  mason  by 
trade  and  also  engaged  in  farming,  and  now 
within  the  precincts  of  Fort  Warren,  in  Boston 
harbor  (where  he  was  stationed  for  a  time  dur- 
ing the  war)  are  a  well  and  a  chimney  which 
show  the  quality  of  the  work  he  turned  out. 
in  1785  he  married  Eleanor  Macomber,  1763- 
1845,  of  the  seventh  generation  from  Thomas 
■Rogers,  of  the  "Mayflower."  Four  of  their 
sons  were  graduated  from  Brown  University, 
all  of  whom  became  Congregational  clergymen. 
These  were:  James,  John,  Enoch  and  Baalis. 
The  third  son,  Alpheus,  died  in  Taunton,  June 


1,  1872,  aged  seventy-eight  years,  i,c''fii  months, 
twelve  days. 

(VI)  Rev.  Baalis  Sanford,  son  cf  Capt.  Jos- 
eph, was  born  July  6,  1801,  in  BiTkley,  .Mass., 
and  after  acquiring  his  early  ed;iiation  in  the 
district  schools  entered  Brown  Liiivcrsity,  at 
Providence,  R.  I.,  from  which  ht;  :Taduated  in 
1823.  On  Oct.  4,  1827,  he  was  <:-:a  ■ined  pastor 
of  the  Union  Trinitarian  Society  ;Yi  llast  Bridge- 
water,  continuing  there  until  li!4;i,  when  he 
was  installed  pastor  of  the  Triiiiln-iaii  Con- 
gregational Society 'of  East  Bridg':,' ^m.  i',  hav- 
ing been  at  the  close  of  the  latte  p  -  •"-ite  in 
the  ministry  in  that  town  for  a  pe'  ("  '.t  thirty- 
three  years.  He  had  lived  in  t'  ■  -<■ .-  i  for 
fifty-three  years,  and  died  there  J  :'  1880 

He  was  a  man  of  great  decision  ..    (cter 

and  true  to  his  convictions.  On  th  'J  'iioral 
questions  of  the  day  he  was  in  ad  ■■  -:  ;■;'  the 
times,  and  on  the  temperance  que-iivn)  i.'ik  a 
strong  position,  while  on  the  subjc  1  "f  -.i  i?ery 
he  gave  utterance  to  ideas  that  W'  "jM.'ste- 
ful  at  the  time,  but  which  were  ev  mI,''!  ■  re- 
spected. His  discourses,  thougl  ■:  illy 
thought  out  and  of  great  worth,  wer  i^  ■■••,  t.nd 
practical,  and  in  them  he  endeavc  '  set 
forth  the  gospel  of  divine  love  an  >■•  '.'tn. 
He  was  naturally  kind-hearted  and  j  . ■  :  !,  i.ut 
to  the  evil-doer  or  to  the  careless  id, 

indeed,  be  stern.    He  was  a  member  of  •■•A 

committee  for  a  longer  period  than  ,'  jiie 
else  in  the  town,  and  held  the  office  w.  '  h- 
man  of  that  board  longer  than  any  otl  r,-  m-u- 
ber,  having  been  identified  with  thiv  .lo.rd 
almost  continuously  from  1829  to  1877,  \i: '  h? 
reports  which  emanated  from  his  pen  v-.-  -9 
plete  with  good  sense  and  useful  sugj.  ;.  ■■ 
His   memory   will   long   be   cherished  i. 

sterling  qualities.     On   March   31,   183 
Mr.  Sanford  was  married  to  Abby  Burt,   ■;::-.>l. 
ter  of  Dean  and  Polly  (Crane)  Burt,  of  ■;•;■■ 
ley,  Mass.     Mrs.   Sanford,  who  was  a  d       ^^d 
wife  and  mother,  survived  her  husband,    >  ■,     , ; 
in  East  Bridgewater  in  1885.     Nine  ch:-'  ■•'-!' 
were  born  to  Rev.   Mr.   Sanford  and  wi:";     i; 
follows:      Irene    Abby,   who    died   unmai    ' '^' : 
Baalis,  mentioned  below;  William  A] den,  «.• 
was  formerly  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  husij..;:.  ^ 
in   Brockton,   but  is  now  living  in   Westb. '.•  . 
Mass. ;   Henry   Dean,  a  bookkeeper,  who  db.:' 
in  Brockton ;  Austin,  a  graduate  of  DartmouL- 
College,  and  for  a  number  of  years  profeivr^r 
of  English  in  the  Albany  (N.  Y.)  high  sch'-'il, 
where    he    died    unmarried    Dec.    28,    19i'  ■; 
Eudora,  who  was  engaged  in  teaching  foi   a 
number  of  years,  and  died  in  Boston,  unmi  ■ 
ried,   April    25,    1908;    Eugene,    a   bookkeep 
in  Dorchester;  Charles  Homer,  who  conducti 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


547 


the  home  farm  in  East  Bridgewater,  and  died 
unmarried ;  and  Abbott,  a  graduate  of  Amherst 
College  and  a  physician  by  profession,  who  died 
in  Everett,  Massachusetts. 

(VII)  Baalis  Sanford,  eldest  son  of  the  Rev. 
Baalis  and  Abby  (Burt)  Sanford,  received  his 
primary  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
native  town,  and  then  attended  the  Bridge- 
water  and  East  Bridgewater  Academies.  After 
leaving  school  he  remained  at  home  until  April, 
1851,  when  he  located  in  North  Bridgewater, 
becoming  bookkeeper  and  cashier  in  the  dry 
goods  house  of  Robinson  &  Barry.  He  con- 
tinued in  that  capacity  until  Feb.  1,  1858,  when 
he  was  admitted  to  the  firm  of  H.  W.  Robin- 
son &  Co.,  successors  of  Robinson  &  Barry,  and 
of  this  well-known  house  he  was  a  member  until 
his  death,  and  for  many  years  the  senior  mem- 
ber. In  1903  the  business  was  incorporated  as 
the  H.  W.  Robinson  Company,  of  which  Mr. 
Sanford  was  made  president,  in  which  capacity 
he  afterward  remained,  taking  an  active  part 
in  the  management.  Although  this  establish- 
ment has  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest 
established  dry  goods  and  department  store  in 
Brockton,  dating  back  to  1844,  at  the  same 
time  it  stands  among  the  foremost  and  most 
modern  equipped  of  its  kind  in  southeastern 
Massachusetts.  The  store  covers  a  floor  space 
of  22,000  square  feet,  and  is  stocked  to  repletion 
with  dry  goods  and  fancy  goods  of  every 
description,  in  fact,  with  all  that  goes  to  make 
a  great  metropolitan  department  store. 
Systematic  and  moderate  prices  prevail,  and 
although  so  near  the  city  of  Boston  all  com- 
petition is  met  in  every  particular,  and  this  has 
gained  for  the  company  a  large  and  increasing 
trade. 

After  locating  in  North  Bridgewater,  now 
Brockton,  Mr.  Sanford  was  always  prominently 
identified  with  its  various  social,  fraternal  and 
financial  interests.  In  political  faith  he  was  a 
stanch  supporter  of  the  principles  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  and  was  active  and  influential  in 
the  councils  of  the  same,  as  well  as  in  the  public 
affairs  of  the  city.  In  1877  he  was  a  member 
of  the  General  Court  of  the  Commonwealth, 
serving  on  the  committee  on  Mercantile  Affairs. 
He  was  a  valuable  member  of  the  school  com- 
mittee of  Brockton  for  a  period  of  ten  years, 
from  1875  to  1885,  inclusive,  serving  as  secre- 
tary the  entire  period,  his  early  associations  and 
educational  training  well  qualifying  him  to  fill 
this  position.  In  January,  1882,  he  was  elected 
city  auditor,  being  the  first  auditor  under  the 
new  charter  when  Brockton  became  a  city,  and 
he  continued  in  this  capacity  for  a  period  of 
fourteen  years,  when  he  resigned  on  account  of 


his  many  other  business  affairs.  On  Dec.  27, 
1881,  he  received  his  first  commission  as  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  from  Gov.  John  D.  Long,  and 
had  served  in  that  capacity  continuously  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  A  petition  was  circulated 
in  1895  by  prominent  business  men,  ex-mayors 
and  others,  asking  him  to  become  a  candidate 
for  mayor.  The  signatures  showed  men  of 
every  political  party,  and  after  deep  considera- 
tion Mr.  Sanford  accepted.  The  campaign  was 
contested  with  great  vigor,  and  he  was  defeated. 
As  a  member  of  the  sinking  fund  commissioners 
he  was  selected  because  of  his  financial  ability 
as  well  as  of  his  interest  in  Brockton. 

Upon  the  chartering  of  the  Security  Co- 
operative Bank,  in  1877,  Mr.  Sanford  was 
elected  the  first  president  of  same,  and  he  served 
in  that  office  two  years,  after  which  time  he 
was  one  of  the  auditors.  He  was  treasurer  of 
the  Brockton  Gas  Light  Company  from  1886 
to  1888,  resigning  this  position  when  the  com- 
pany became  a  corporation.  In  April,  1892, 
he  was  elected  president  of  the  Brockton  Sav- 
ings Bank,  and  was  also  chairman  of  the  board 
of  investment  of  the  bank,  holding  both  positions 
at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  actively 
identified  with  the  Brockton  Agricultural  So- 
ciety from  its  incorporation  in.  1874,  and  in 
1886  became  its  secretary,  filling  that  position 
with  efficiency  until  his  death,  and  for  thirteen 
years  was  superintendent  of  the  exhibition  hall 
at  the  fair  grounds.  He  was  a  charter  member 
of  the  Commercial  Club  of  Brockton,  organized 
in  January,  1883,  and  composed  of  the  leading 
citizens;  was  its  first  secretary,  filling  that 
office  a  number  of  years,  and  for  five  years  was 
the  treasurer.  For  several  years  Mr.  Sanford 
was  treasurer  of  the  Lugonia  Fruit  Growing 
and  Packing  Company,  of  Redlands,  Cali- 
fornia. 

In  Masonic  circles  Mr.  Sanford  had  been 
prominent  from  1864,  having  reached  the 
thirty-third  degree.  He  became  a  master 
Mason  in  Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  H., 
of  which  he  was  worshipful  master  in  1868 
and  1869 ;  he  became  district  deputy  grand 
master  of  the  19th  Masonic  district  and  later 
of  the  24th  Masonic  district,  in  1882-83-84; 
senior  grand  warden  of  the  grand  lodge  of 
Massachusetts,  in  1887,  and  was  grand  master 
in  1903-04-05.  In  1865  he  was  made  a  Royal 
Arch  Mason  in  the  chapter  at  Abington,  and 
in  1869  a  charter  member  of  Satucket  Chap- 
ter, R.  A.  M.,  of  Brockton,  of  which  latter  he 
was  the  first  high  priest,  serving  three  years; 
was  grand  scribe  of  the  grand  chapter  in  1878, 
elected  grand  high  priest  in  December,  1907, 
and  reelected  in  1908.     He  was  a  member  of 


548 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Brockton  Council,  E.  &  S.  M.,  of  which  he  was 
thrice  illustrious  master  in  1895  and  1896,  and 
recorder  for  several  years ;  was  grand  conductor 
of  the  grand  council  of  Royal  and  Select 
Masters  of  Massachusetts  in  1898,  and  illus- 
trious grand  master  of  the  council  in  1900, 
1901  and  1902.  He  was  a  charter  member  of 
Bay  State  Commandery,  K.  T.,  was  the  second 
eminent  commander,  and  in  1883  was  grand 
captain  of  the  host  in  the  grand  commandery 
of  Massachusetts  (of  which  he  was  a  permanent 
member),  and  for  fifteen  years  was  recorder 
of  the  commandery.  He  was  a  life  member  of 
the  Massachusetts  Consistory,  thirty-second 
degree,  and  on  Sept.  15,  1893,  was  elevated  to 
the  thirty-third  degree. 

In  his  life  the  church  held  a  high  place, 
and  while  not  a  member  he  was  faithful  in  his 
attendance  at  the  Porter  Congregational 
Church,  of  Brockton,  which  he  served  as  treas- 
urer for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  the  work 
of  which  he  was  active  and  prominent. 

On  Aug.  19,  1856,  Mr.  Sanford  was  mar- 
ried to  Lucy  Cotton  Hapgood,  daughter  of 
Capt.  Benjamin  and  Anne  (Whitman)  Hap- 
good, of  Stow,  Mass.,  the  former  a  captain  in 
the  war  of  1812.  Mrs.  Sanford  died  in  Boston 
Nov.  25,  1907,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sanford  were  born  three 
daughters,  namely:  Irene  Gertrude,  unmar- 
ried;'Anne  Cora,  who  died  in  1860,  in  infancy; 
and  Mabel  Louise,  who  died  in  1869,  in  the 
third  year  of  her  age. 

Personally  Mr.  Sanford  was  a  man  of  cul- 
tivated tastes  whose  quiet,  yet  cordial  and 
democratic,  manner  was  a  strong  characteristic. 
His  politeness  was  inborn,  and  being  void  seem- 
ingly of  any  consciousness  of  his  own  superiority 
he  was  ever  a  simple-mannered,  courteous 
gentleman.  His  friends  were  among  the  young 
as  well  as  the  old.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
"Mayflower  Descendants,"  as  is  his  daughter, 
who  is  also  a  member  of  Paul  Revere  Chapter, 
D.  A.  R.,  of  Boston.  For  a  number  of  years 
Mr.  Sanford  and  his  family  resided  at  the 
"Brunswick  Hotel"  in  Boston,  and  after  the 
death  of  his  wife  he  found  his  happiness  in 
the  companionship  of  his  devoted  daughter. 
He  died  Nov.  16,  1909,  in  Boston,  after  an  ill- 
ness of  scarcely  fifteen  minutes,  and  his  re- 
mains were  brought  to  Brockton,  the  funeral 
being  held  in  the  Porter  Congregational 
Church.  Interment  was  made  in  Union 
cemetery.  The  services  were  conducted  by  Rev. 
Dr.  F.A.  Warfield,  of  Milford,  and  Rev.  Dr. 
A.  M.  Hyde,  of  Porter  Church.  Then  followed 
the  simple  blue  lodge  services  conducted  by 
Merton  S.  Gurney,  worshipful  master  of  Paul 


Revere  Lodge.  Masons  to  the  number  of  three 
hundred  from  all  over  the  State,  representatives 
from  every  concern  with  which  the  deceased 
had  been  connected,  city  and  State  officials 
and  friends — all  were  there  to  pay  a  last  tribute 
of  respect  to  a  man  whom  they  knew  to  honor 
and  to  revere.  In  the  course  of  his  eulogy 
Rev.  Dr.  Warfield  said:  "He  [Mr.  Sanford] 
always  stood  for  that  which  is  highest  and  best 
in  civic  life,  and  to  the  realization  of  these 
things  he  devoted  his  best  endeavors.  He  was 
never  a  partisan,  but  always  a  Puritan  in  his 
aims  and  spirit.  He  recognized  the  other 
man's  point  of  view,  but  he  saw  with  clearer 
vision  that  which  made  for  righteousness  and 
strength  and  to  do  this  he  gave  himself.  He 
cared  little  for  popularity,  but  set  a  high  value 

upon  that  which  was  true He  "was 

trustworthy   in   business.     He   knew   only   the 

law  of  right Those  who  have  been 

•associated  with  him  know  full  well  his  integrity. 
As  gentle  as  a  woman  but  as  firm  as  the  most 
stalwart  man,  he  could  bend  to  anything  that 
was  right.  He  could  make  any  concession  to 
honor  but  to  nothing  else." 

It  seems  only  just  that  this  article  should 
contain  a  few  of  the  expressions  of  the  men 
associated  with  him  in  many  ways  when  the 
news  of  his  death  reached  the  public. 

Mayor  John  S.  Kent:  "No  finer  example 
of  a  true  gentleman  and  noble  citizen  can  be 
presented  for  the  emulation  of  the  man  upon 
whose  shoulders  rests  the  burdens  of  progres- 
sive development  in  our  city.  He  possessed 
the  virtues  of  lionesty,  courage,  simplicity  and 
sympathy,  which  together  with  his  ability, 
energy  and  devotion  to  principle  made  him  a 
man  among  men." 

Fred  Hanson  in  the  Enterprise:  "In  my 
feeble  way  I  want  to  pay  my  respects  to  the 
memory  of  Baalis  Sanford,  a  man  of  un- 
blemished character,  of  the  strictest  honesty  and 
integrity,  a  man  without  a  blemish." 

President  Charles  Howard  of  the  Brockton 
Agricultural  Society :  "He  was  always  a  friend 
who  could  be  relied  upon  though  thick  and 
thin." 

Ex-Gov.  William  L.  Douglas:  "The  sudden 
death  of  Baalis  Sanford  comes  as  a  shock  and 
surprise  to  me.  He  was  a  man  who  was  be- 
loved  by   everybody always   congenial, 

a  man  of  excellent  character  and  strict  integrity. 
His  life  has  been  a  worthy  example  for  the 
rising  generation  to  follow." 

•  MORTON.  The  Mortons  of  East  Freetown, 
Bristol  Co.,  Mass.,  formerly  quite  numerous 
in  that  vicinity,  but  not  now  represented  by 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


549 


many  of  the  name,  are  the  posterity  of  Maj. 
Nathaniel  Morton  and  descendants  of  the 
eminent  George  Morton. 

(I)  George  Morton,  born  about  1585,  at 
Austerfield,  Yorkshire,  England,  came  to  New 
England  in  the  ship  "Ann"  in  1623.  He  had 
married  in  Leyden,  in  1612,  Juliana  Carpenter, 
daughter  of  Alexander  Carpenter,  of  Wrentham, 
England.  He  is  said  to  have  served  the  Pil- 
grims in  important  relations  before  coming 
to  this  country,  and  published  in  England  in 
1621  the  first  history  of  the  Colony,  which  was 
entitled  "A  Relation  or  Journal  of  the  Begin- 
ning and  Proceedings  of  the  English  Plantation 
settled  at  Plymouth  in  New  England."  It  is 
commonly  known  as  "Mourt's  Relation."  He 
died  in  1624.  The  children  of  George  and 
Juliana  (Carpenter)  Morton  were:  Nathaniel, 
who  married  (first)  Lydia  Cooper  and  (sec- 
ond) Mrs.  Hannah  Pemplar;  Patience,  who 
married  John  Faunce;  John;  Sarah,  who  mar- 
ried George  Bonum;  and  Ephraim.  Of  these, 
Nathaniel  was  secretary  of  Plymouth  Colony 
from  1647  to  1685,  and  author  of  that  very 
valuable  work  known  as  the  "Old  Colony 
Memorial,"  compiled  from  the  observations  and 
writings  of  himself  and  Gov.  William  Brad- 
ford, second  governor  of  Plymouth  Colony.  As 
early  as  1668  Nathaniel  Morton  was  elected  a 
selectman  of  Plymouth  and  held  that  office 
twenty-one  years.  He  was  chosen  to  represent 
the  town  of  Pljinouth  in  the  Colonial  Court 
as  early  as  1659  and  served  in  that  capacity 
twenty-seven  years.  After  the  Old  Colony  was 
united  with  that  of  Massachusetts  Bay  he  was 
elected  to  represent  the  town  of  Plymouth  in 
the  Provincial  Court  at  Boston. 

(II)  Lieut.  Ephraim  Morton,  born  in  1623 
on  the  ship  "Ann,"  married  (first)  Nov.  18, 
1644,  Ann  Cooper,  who  died  Sept.  1,  1691.  He 
married  (second)  in  1692  Mary,  widow  of 
William  Harlow,  and  daughter  of  Robert 
Shelly,  of  Scituate.  Mr.  Morton  became  a  free- 
man in  1648,  and  in  that  year  was  constable 
of  Plymouth.  He  was  chosen  a  representative 
to  the  General  Court  at  Plymouth  in  1657,  and 
was  a  member  of  that  body  for  twenty-eight 
years.  He  was  chosen  the  first  representative 
to  the  Massachusetts  General  Court  under  the 
charter  of  1691-92.  He  was  for  nearly  twenty- 
five  years  at  the  head  of  the  board  of  selectmen 
of  Plymouth.  He  was  chosen  a  magistrate  of 
the  Colony  in  1683,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  he  was  a  justice  of  the  court  of  Common 
Pleas.  He  also  served  in  other  important  re- 
lations. He  died  Sept.  7,  1693.  His  children 
were:  George,  born  in  1645;  Ephraim,  born 
in  1648 ;  Rebecca,  bom  in  1651 ;  Josiah,  born 


in   1653;   Nathaniel;   Eleazer,   born   in   1659; 
Thomas,  born  in  1667;  and  Patience. 

(III)  Eleazer  Morton,  son  of  Ephraim,  mar- 
ried in  1693  Rebecca  Dawes,  daughter  of  Am- 
brose, and  their  children  were :  Eleazer,  born 
in  1693;  Ann,  born  in  1694  (married  Robert 
Finney);  Nathaniel,  born  in  1695;  and  Re- 
becca, born  in  1703. 

(IV)  Nathaniel  Morton,  born  in  1695,  was 
lost  at  sea  before  1730.  He  married  in  1720 
Rebecca  Ellis,  widow  of  Mordecai  Ellis,  and 
daughter  of  Thomas  Clark,  and  their  children 
were:  Elizabeth,  born  in  1720;  Nathaniel, 
born  in  1723;  Eleazer,  born  in  1724;  and 
Ichabod,  born  in  1726. 

(V)  Maj.  Nathaniel  Morton  (2),  of  Free- 
town, born  Feb.  1,  1722-23,  married  in  1749 
Martha  Tupper,  of  Sandwich,  daughter  of 
Eldad  Tupper  and  granddaughter  of  Thomas 
Tupper,  and  their  children  were :  Nathaniel, 
born  in  1753;  Martha;  Elizabeth,  and  Job. 
Nathaniel  Morton,  the  father,  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolutionary  war,  being  at  first  second 
lieutenant  in  Capt.  Levi  Rounseville's  company 
of  minute  men,  subsequently  commander  of  a 
company,  and  then  promoted  to  major.  There 
were  many  members  of  the  Morton  family  named 
Nathaniel,  and  on  Dec.  8,  1776,  there  were 
among  the  officers  and  private  soldiers  of  the 
local  militia  of  East  Freetown  who  responded 
to  what  was  known  as  the  "Rhode  Island  alarm" 
no  less  than  four  Nathaniel  Mortons :  the  com- 
pany commander  (later  major) ;  his  son 
Nathaniel  (then  called  Nathaniel,  Jr.,  but  in 
subsequent  life  widely  known  as  Hon.  Nathaniel 
Morton),  who  was  one  of  the  four  sergeants 
of  the  company;  Nathaniel  Morton,  Sr.,  and 
Nathaniel  Morton,  4th. 

(VI)  Job  Morton,  son  of  Maj.  Nathaniel 
Morton,  was  born  at  East  Freetown  June  14, 
1770,  and  received  fine  educational  advantages. 
After  attending  the  common  schools  he  took  a 
collegiate  course,  and  was  graduated  at  Brown 
University  in  1797.  He  studied  medicine,  but 
never  practiced.  Like  his  forefathers  he  took 
a  prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  town. 
On  April  1,  1805,  he  was  elected  a  selectman 
of  Freetown,  and  served  twenty-four  years  as 
such ;  on  the  same  date  he  was  chosen  assessor 
of  Freetown,  in  which  office  he  served  twenty- 
eight  years.  On  May  14,  1814,  he  was  chosen 
representative  of  FreetoNvn  in  the  General 
Court,  and  served  acceptably  for  eleven  years. 
On  Feb.  9,  1811,  he  was  commissioned  a  justice 
of  the  peace  for  the  county  of  Bristol.  In  1812 
he  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  county  courts, 
but  it  is  not  known  that  he  accepted  this  posi- 
tion; if  he  did,  he  held  it  only  a  short  time. 


550 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


He  was  also  chairman  of  the  board  of  com- 
missioners of  highways,  which  soon  came  to  be 
known  as  the  board  of  county  commissioners. 

In  1808  Job  Morton  married  Patience  Pur- 
rington  (or  Purington),  of  Middleboro,  and 
they  lived  in  an  old-fashioned  unpretentious 
looking  house  still  standing  in  East  Freetown, 
about  a  third  of  a  mile  from  the  line  that 
divides  Freetown  from  Lakeville,  in  which  all 
their  children  were  born.  Mr.  Morton  died  in 
March,  1843,  in  the  house  mentioned  near  the 
one  in  which  he  was  born.  His  wife  died  Feb. 
15,1841.  They  had  children  as  follows :  (1) 
James  Madison,  born  April  28,  1803,  is  men- 
tioned at  length  elsewhere  in  this  work.  (2) 
Albert  Gallatin,  born  Aug.  8,  1804,  lived  and 
died  in  Freetown.  He  was  a  clergyman  of  the 
Christian  denominatioil.  (3)  Charles  Austin, 
born  May  14,  1806,  died  in  a  house  standing 
only  a  few  rods  from  the  one  in  which  he  was 
born.  For  a  time  he  held  a  position  in  the 
Boston  custom  house;  was  selectman  of  Free- 
town nine  years;  assessor  eight  years;  member 
of  the  school  committee  nine  years;  representa- 
tive to  the  General  Court,  one  year;  and  was 
a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  county  of  Bristol 
from  April  11,  1839.  No  man  in  East  Free- 
town or  anywhere  was  better  posted  regarding 
the  local  affairs  of  that  place  and  the  immediate 
vicinity,  he  and  his  neighbor.  Dr.  Bradford 
Braley,  being  "lively  oracles"  to  and  "walking 
histories"  of  East  Freetown,  and  the  adjacent 
parts  of  Lakeville  and  Rochester.  (4)  Elbridge 
Gerry,  born  March  8,  1808,  moved  to  Fair- 
haven,  where  he  lived  for  many  years.  He  was 
a  leader  in  the  public  life  of  that  place,  serving 
five  years  as  selectman ;  sixteen  years  as 
moderator  of  the  annual  town  meeting;  three 
years  as  representative  to  the  General  Court 
in  Boston ;  delegate  to  the  Constitutional  con- 
vention of  1853 ;  and  was  elected  in  1853  a 
member  of  the  board  of  commissioners  of 
Bristol  county  (which  consisted  of  three  com- 
missioners and  two  special  commissioners),  of 
which  board  he  was  immediately  chosen  chair- 
man. Toward  the  close  of  his  life  he  was  post- 
master at  Fairhaven.  (5)  William  G.,  born 
April  10,  1810,  died  March  8,  1811.  (6) 
Hannah  P.,  born  in  the  year  1811,  married 
Harrison  Staples,  of  Lakeville,  Mass.,  where 
she  died.  (7)  Andrew  Jackson  is  mentioned 
below.  (8)  William  A.,  born  March  20,  1817, 
at  the  old  place,  was  reared  there,  and  died 
in  1886,  in  the  house  in  which  he  was  bom. 
The  sons  of  this  family  were  all  "six  footers" 
and  were  of  marked  personality. 

(VII)  Andrew  Jackson  Morton,  son  of  Job, 
was   born   July   5,    1812,   in   Freetown,   Mass., 


and  was  a  farmer  all  his  life,  dying  March  10, 
1893.  He  lived  in  East  Freetown,  near  the 
old  homestead,  his  farm  comprising  what  is 
now  Lake  Side  park.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
publican, but  he  was  not  active  in  party  affairs 
or  public  matters  of  any  kind.  He  married 
Abbie  Lawrence,  who  was  born  Sept.  18,  1817, 
daughter  of  Alden  and  Chloe  (Sherman) 
Lawrence,  of  Freetown,  and  died  March  25, 
1906.  They  were  the  parents  of  a  large  family, 
namely:  William  Grey,  born  Feb.  6,  1838, 
died  at  sea  Jan.  18,  1878 ;  George  Washington, 
born  Oct.  22,  1840,  died  June  2,  1842 ;  Patience 
Purrington  was  born  Nov.  24,  1842;  Martha 
Washington,  born  April  1,  1845,  married 
Charles  F.  Vauglm,  of  Middleboro,  and  lives 
at  Weymouth;  George  Andrew,  born  Jan.  31, 
1848,  died  Aug.  2,  1850  ;  Myron  Lawrence,  bom 
June  25,  1850,  is  living  in  Boston;  Frank 
Pierce,  born  Jan.  4,  1853,  lives  in  New  Bed- 
ford; Thomas  J.  is  mentioned  below;  Herbert 
Andrew  is  mentioned  below;  Anna  Cora,  born 
Feb.  28,  1862,  died  Nov.  14,  1888. 

(VIII)  Thomas  J.  Morton,  son  of  Andrew 
J.,  was  born  in  East  Freetown  March  2,  1856. 
He  received  all  his  education  in  the  public 
school  of  East  Freetown,  leaving  school  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years.  From  that  time  until 
he  was  seventeen  he  was  engaged  in  the  usual 
work  on  the  farm,  and  then  went  to  learn  the 
trade  of  machinist  at  the  Taunton  Locoifiotive 
Works,  in  Taunton.  He  worked  in  the  machine 
shops  of  the  Old  Colony  and  Boston  &  Albany 
railroads,  and  for  a  time  acted  as  foreman  on 
the  Boston  &  Albany  road,  following  this  work 
until  the  fall  of  1882 ;  at  that  time  he  engaged 
in  ijhe  laundry  business  with  his  brother,  buy- 
ing out  a  small  laundry,  on  Summer  street, 
and  installing  new  machinery  throughout.  At 
this  time  they  gave  employment  to  six  hands. 
Remaining  there  until  1386,  they  removed  from 
the  original  location  iato  their  present  fine 
laundry  building,  which  they  erected,  though 
it  was  not  then  as  large  as  now,  three  additions 
having  been  since  built.  Their  laundry  plant 
is  now  one  of  the  finest  in  southeastern  Massa- 
chusetts, and  they  give  employment  to  sixty 
people.  Their  business  is  gathered  from  twenty 
or  more  places,  ranging  from  Manchester  to 
Boston.  Mr.  Morton  has  been  a  successful  man 
and  his  prosperity  is  of  his  own  making.  He 
has  other  interests  in  addition  to  his  laundry 
business,  having  been  a  corporator  of  the 
Bristol  County  Savings  and  Taunton  Savings. 
Banks,  and  he  is  a  trustee  of  the  former.  He 
is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  socially  he  unites 
with  the  Masons,  holding  membership  in  Ionic 
Lodge,  A.   P.  &  A.   M.,   St.   Mark's  Chapter, 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


551 


R.  A.  M.,  of  Taunton,  and  Bristol  Commandery, 
No.  29,  K.  T.,  of  Attleboro.  In  January,  1890, 
Mr.  Morton  was  elected  second  lieutenant  of 
Company  F,  1st  Regiment  Infantry,  1st 
Brigade,  M.  V.  M.,  and  served  two  years,  resign- 
ing at  the  end  of  that  period. 

On  Oct.  30,  1897,  Mr.  Morton  married  Helen 
L.  Watts,  daughter  of  William  Watts,  formerly 
of  England.    They  have  no  children. 

(VIII)  Herbert  Andrew  Morton  was 
born  in  Lakeville,  Mass.,  near  the  old  home- 
stead in  East  Freetown,  March  16,  1858.  His 
early  training  was  obtained  in  the  district 
schools  in  East  Freetown  and  was  limited,  but 
he  later  had  two  terms  in  a  graded  school  in 
Middleboro,  when  about  eighteen  or  nineteen 
years  of  age.  When  only  nine  years  of  age  he 
went  away  from  home  to  live  in  another  family, 
so  it  may  readily  be  seen  that  whatever  he  has 
has  been  acquired  through  his  own  efforts.  In 
1878  he  spent  part  of  his  time  in  Taunton, 
where  in  November,  1882,  he  went  into  the 
laundry  business  with  his  brother.  He  had, 
however,  been  working  a  few  years  for  William 
Webster,  and  liis  brother  Myron  Morton,  who 
was  then  in  the  clothing  business  in  Taunton. 
The  success  of  the  Morton  Brothers  and  the 
remarkable  growth  of  their  laundry  establish- 
ment is  due  to  the  fact  that  both  are  men  of 
energy  and  executive  ability,  and  by  harmonious 
cooperation  they  have  placed  their  business  on 
a  profitable  basis.  Everything  is  carried  on  in 
the  most  modern  fashion  and  the  plant  is  a 
credit  to  the  community.  Herbert  A.  Morton 
is  well  known  socially,  being  a  member  of  Ionic 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  (of  which  he  is  a  past 
master),  St.  Mark's  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  Bristol 
Commandery,  K.  T.  (of  Attleboro),  the  Eastern 
Star,  and  Sabbatia  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F.  He  is  a 
Republican  in  politics. 

On  June  29,  1909,  Mr.  Morton  married  Alice 
Shaw,  daughter  of  William  and  Fannie  (Coffin) 
Shaw,  the  former  of  Nantucket.  They  have 
no  children. 


(VI)  Hon.  Nathaniel  Morton  (3),  of  Free- 
town, first  son  and  second  child  of  Nathaniel 
(2),  born  June  1,  1753,  married  in  1782  Mary 
(Polly),  daughter  of  Eleazer  Carey,  of  Bridge- 
water,  and  their  children  were :  Marcus,  born 
Feb.  19,  1784;  Mary,  born  Sept.  28,  1786,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Rev.  Elijah  Doxtcr  (they 
were  the  parents  of  Rev.  Henry  M.  Dexter) ; 
and  maybe  others. 

Mr.  Morton  was  a  farmer  in  moderate  cir- 
cumstances, self-educated,  self-reliant  and  with 
strong  practical  common  sense.  He  was  repre- 
sentative to  the  General  Court,  a  member  of 


the  Senate  from  Bristol  county,  justice  of  the 
court  of  Sessions,  and  at  one  time  collector 
of  the  port  at  New  Bedford.  He  served  as 
selectman  of  Freetown  twenty-four  years;  as- 
sessor twenty-six  years;  moderator  of  annual 
town  meeting  fourteen  years;  and  was  eight 
times  chosen  to  represent  the  town  in  the 
General  Court.  On  May  14,  1804,  he  was 
elected  to  a  seat  in  the  Senate  board  and  held 
that  position  for  five  consecutive  years,  and 
was  a  delegate  from  Freetown  to  the  State 
convention  of  1820.  Near  the  close  of  the 
eighteenth  century  he  was  appointed  a  justice 
of  the  peace  for  the  county  of  Bristol  and  at  a 
considerably  later  date  was  commissioned  to 
administer  the  oaths  of  qualification  to  civil 
officers  "dedimus  potestatum,"  and  was  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  county  commissioners. 
He  passed  a  few  of  the  last  years  of  his  life 
at  Taunton,  where  he  died  at  the  residence  of 
his  son,  Gov.  Marcus  Morton. 

(VII)  Hon.  Marcus  Morton,  LL.  D., 
lawyer,  member  of  Congress,  justice  of  the 
Supreme  court  of  Massachusetts,  governor,  was 
born  Feb.  19,  1784,  in  East  Freetown,  Mass., 
the  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Mary  (Carey)  Morton. 
He  was  graduated  with  high  honors  from  Brown 
University  in  1804,  when  twenty  years  of  age. 
He  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  office 
of  Hon.  Seth  Padelford,  then  judge  of  Probate 
for  Bristol  county,  and  completed  his  legal 
education  in  the  then  famous  law  school  in 
Litchfield,  Conn.,  at  which  school  studied  also 
his  contemporary,  John  C.  Calhoun.  He  began 
the  practice  of  law  in  1807  in  Taunton.  He 
rose  high  in  the  legal  profession. 

Mr.  Morton  was  a  Democrat,  and  as  such 
met  with  opposition  in  the  Federalist  town 
of  Taunton,  but  in  the  course  of  his  life  he 
held  nearly  every  office  it  was  in  the  power  of 
the  people  to  bestow  upon  him.  In  1811  and 
1812  he  was  clerk  of  the  Massachusetts  Senate. 
He  was  also  county  attorney  for  Bristol  county. 
He  was  a  member  of  Congress  from  1817  for 
several  years,  and  took  part  in  the  discussions 
on  the  Missouri  Compromise.  In  1823  he  was 
a  member  of  the  executive  council.  He  was 
chosen  lieutenant  governor  in  1824  with 
Eustice  at  the  head  of  the  ticket,  and  after 
Governor  Eustice's  death,  Feb.  6,  1825,  to  the 
end  of  the  term  for  which  he  was  elected  he 
was  the  acting  governor.  He  was  brought  in 
intimate  relations  during  this  time  with 
LaFayette,  who  was  then  visiting  this  country. 
He  was  again  chosen  lieutenant  governor,  and 
in  that  same  year  was  appointed  to  the  Supreme 
bench  of  the  State  and  took  his  seat  July  5, 
1825.     He  was  chosen  governor  of  Massachu- 


552 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


setts  in  1839  by  the  people  and  again  in  1843 
by  the  Legislature.  On  May  1,  1845,  he  was 
made  collector  of  the  port  of  Boston,  a  re- 
lation to  the  service  he  sustained  some  four 
years.  He  was  in  sympathy  with  the  Free-soil 
movement  in  1848,  in  1853  he  was  delegate  to 
the  Constitutional  Convention,  and  in  1858  was 
again  in  the  Legislature.  His  period  of  service 
on  the  bench  covered  fifteen  years,  and  his 
Congressional  service  four  years.  For  several 
years  he  was  one  of  the  overseers  of  Harvard 
University. 

Governor  Morton  had  a  tall,  commanding 
figure,  was  fine-looking,  quiet  and  self-possessed 
in  manner ;  and  his  wife  was  an  elegant  woman, 
a  person  of  beauty  and  grace. 

On  Dec.  23,  1807,  Governor  Morton  was 
married  to  Charlotte,  born  Dec.  33,  1787, 
daughter  of  James  Hodges,  of  Taunton,  and  a 
direct  descendant  of  William  Hodges,  of  Taun- 
ton as  early  as  1643.  The  children  born  to 
Governor  Morton  and  his  wife  Charlotte 
(Hodges)  were:  (1)  Joanna  Maria  married 
William  T.  Hawes,  of  New  Bedford,  a  graduate 
of  Brown  University.  (2)  Lydia  Mason  mar- 
ried Henry  W.  Lee,  D.D.,  of  Springfield,  Mass., 
and  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  afterward  bishop  in  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  in  Iowa.  (3) 
Charlotte  married  Samuel  Watson,  of  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  (4)  Sarah  Carey  married  Hon. 
Willard  Lovering,  a  manufacturer  of  Taunton. 
(5)  Marcus  married  Abby,  daughter  of  Henry 
Hopping,  Esq.,  of  Providence.  (6)  Nathaniel 
married  Harriet,  only  child  of  Hon.  Francis 
Baylies.  (7)  James  married  Elizabeth,  daugh- 
ter of  Hon.  George  Ashmun,  of  Springfield. 
(8)  Susan  Tillinghast  married  M.  Day  Kim- 
ball, of  the  firm  of  Faulkner,  Page  &  Kimball, 
Boston.  (9)  Frances  Wood  married  George 
Henry  French,  of  Andover.  (10)  Emily 
Matilda  married  Daniel  C,  son  of  Dr.  Dawes, 
of  Taunton,  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Of 
these,  the  three  sons  were  graduated  from 
Brown  University,  Marcus  in  1838,  Nathaniel 
in  1840,  and  James  in  1843;  all  were  dis- 
tinguished in  college  and  became  eminent 
lawyers,  the  eldest  becoming  chief  justice  of  the 
Supreme  court  of  Massachusetts. 

Governor  Morton  died  at  his  home  on  Wash- 
ington street,  near  Broadway,  Taunton,  Mass., 
Feb.  6,  1864.  His  wife  Charlotte  (Hodges) 
Morton  died  Dec.  25,  1873 ;  both  are  buried  in 
Mount  Pleasant  cemetery,  Taunton. 

NATHANIEL  CHURCH  (deceased)  was 
during  his  life  a  well-known  business  man  and 
prominent  citizen  of  Fairhaven,  where  he  was 
born   Nov.   16,   1798.     The   Church  family  of 


which  he  was  a  representative  is  among  the 
oldest  and  most  prominent  in  New  England, 
the  name  being  identified  with  the  an- 
nals of  southern  Rhode  Island  and  southeast- 
ern Massachusetts  from  almost  the  very  dawn 
of  civilization  there. 

Richard  Church,  the  immigrant  settler  and 
progenitor  of  the  Churches  of  the  region  named, 
was  born  in  1608.  He  came  to  New  England 
in  1630  in  the  fleet  with  Governor  Winthrop. 
He  removed  from  Weymouth  to  Plymouth, 
where  he  was  made  a  freeman  in  1632,  and 
where  he  married,  in  1636,  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Richard  Warren,  of  the  "Mayflower,"  1620. 
He  lived  at  a  number  of  different  points,  died 
in  1668  in  Dedham,  and  was  buried  at  Hing- 
ham.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and 
helped  to  build  the  first  meetinghouse  and  the 
first  gun  carriage  in  Plymouth.  He  served  in 
the  Pequot  war.  Locating  at  Eastham  in  1653, 
he  was  then  at  Charlestown  and  in  1657  was 
at  Hingham.  He  was  the  father  of  thirteen 
children,  among  them  Col.  Benjamin  Church, 
who  settled  in  Little  Compton,  R.  L,  from 
whom  Nathaniel  Church  descended. 

Col.  Benjamin  Church  is  credited  with  hav- 
ing been  the  first  white  settler  in  the  town  of 
Little  Compton  (1674),  which  was  then  in 
Massachusetts,  but  is  now  in  Rhode  Island,  and 
with  building  the  first  house  there.  The  name, 
fame  and  usefulness  of  Col.  Benjamin  Church 
were  as  broad  as  New  England,  and  in  the 
general  histories  of  the  New  World  his  deeds 
are  always  recognized.  It  was  he  who  beat 
back  the  red  man  and  opened  the  way  for  the 
habitation  of  the  white  settler  that  followed — 
hunting  Philip  to  his  death,  Aug.  13,  1676. 
He  thoroughly  understood  the  character  of  the 
Indians  and  their  modes  of  warfare,  which 
latter  he  adopted  with  great  success.  Colonel 
Church  was  to  southern  New  England  what 
Miles  Standish  had  been  to  the  first  genera- 
tion of  the  Plymouth  Colonists — a  buckler  and 
shield  in  the  hour  of  danger;  but  he  had  far 
more  experience  in  military  affairs  than  fell 
to  the  lot  of  the  Pilgrim  captain.  It  was 
destined  for  him  to  strike  the  first  and  last 
decisive  blows  in  Philip's  war,  by  which  he  is 
now  best  known  to  fame.  So  great  was  the 
reputation  he  gained  that  he  was  afterward  con- 
stantly called  to  the  field  to  repel  the  French 
and  Indians  at  the  North  and  East.  Colonel 
Church  married  Alice  Southworth.  A  brother 
of  Colonel  Church,  J^iweph  Church,  also  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Little  Compton.  He 
married  Mary  Tucker  and  became  a  promi- 
nent public  man  of  the  town. 

The  descendants  of  Richard  Church  became 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


553 


numerous  and,  as  stated,  distinguished  in  that 
part  of  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  al- 
luded to.  Among  these  the  late  Nathaniel 
Church  was  prominent. 

Joseph  Church,  father  of  Nathaniel,  made 
his  home  in  Fairhaven,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  business  and  where  he  lived  all  his  life.  He 
died  in  Fairhaven  in  1839.  He  married  Deb- 
orah Perry,  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
six  children. 

Nathaniel  Church,  son  of  Joseph  and  Deb- 
orah (Perry)  Church,  was  born  in  Fairhaven 
Nov.  16,  1798.  He  attended  the  local  schools 
and  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  home,  where 
he  received  a  thorough  business  training.  He 
formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother,  Eben- 
ezer  P.  Church,  and  they  entered  into  the 
general  mercantile  business  at  Adamsville,  in 
the  town  of  Little  Compton,  under  tlie  firm 
name  of  E.  P.  Church  &  Co.  This  business 
continued  until  1831,  when  he  withdrew  from 
the  partnership  and  again  located  at  Fairhaven, 
becoming  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business 
for  himself,  which  he  followed  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  next  became  interested  in  the  brass 
foundry  business,  also  the  whaling  industry, 
and  being  a  man  of  progressive  ideas  and  en- 
terprise made  a  success  of  whatever  he  under- 
took. He  took  a  deep  interest  in  his  native 
town  and  its  people,  and  was  known  for  his 
strict  honesty  and  high  moral  character.  He 
served  as  town  clerk  of  Fairhaven  for  many 
years,  and  also  filled  the  office  of  selectman  and 
overseer  of  the  poor  of  his  native  town;  served 
as  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature;  and  was 
often  called  upon  to  settle  estates,  etc.  He 
was  a  public-spirited  man,  generous,  and  al- 
ways ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand.  Politically 
he  was  an  old-line  Whig,  later  a  Republican 
and  a  stanch  supporter  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
strongly  opposed  to  slavery.  His  death  oc- 
curred March  17,  1865,  in  his  sixty-seventh 
year,  and  he  was  buried  in  Riverside  cemetery, 
Fairhaven. 

Mr.  Church  married  May  23,  1829,  Lydia 
Hicks,  bom  Dec.  15,  1800,  in  Westport,  Mass., 
daughter  of  Barney  Hicks,  a  sketch  of  whom 
will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  publication. 
Mrs.  Church  was  a  devout  Christian  woman 
and  took  much  pleasure  in  her  home  and  fam- 
ily. Her  death  occurred  at  her  home  in  Fair- 
haven April  12,  1885,  and  she  was  buried  be- 
side her  husband.  She  was  an  attendant  of  the 
Congregational  Church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Church 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Sarah  C,  who  resides  in  Fairhaven ;  Nancy  F., 
deceased ;  Mary  L.,  who  married  Ansel  G.  Jen- 
ney,  now  a  widow  residing  in  Cincinnati  (Mr. 


Jenney  was  a  native  of  Fairhaven  and  was  a 
well  known  banker  of  Cincinnati,  where  he 
died  July,  1895,  leaving  four  children,  Lyman, 
Bessie,  who  married  William  B.  Mundie,  of 
Chicago,  William  and  Elise,  wife  of  Aden 
Finch,  of  Cincinnati)  ;  and  Lydia  M.,  who 
died  at  her  home  in  Fairhaven  Aug.  15,  1910. 

BORDEN  (Westport  family).  The  Borden 
family  of  the  town  of  Westport  here  briefly 
treated  is  a  branch  of  the  early  Rhode  Island 
family  of  the  name,  a  family  that  dates  back 
to  the  early  history  of  Rhode  Island  and  Massa- 
chusetts, and  one  that  has  played  a  most  impor- 
tant part  in  the  great  industrial  life  of  Fall 
River.  The  particular  branch  of  the  Borden 
family  here  alluded  to  is  that  of  which  the  head 
was  the  late  Christopher  Borden  of  Westport, 
who  was  long  closely  identified  with  the  history 
of  his  town,  and  some  of  whose  sons  now  repre- 
sent the  name  in  Westport,  where  they  are 
substantial  men  and  useful  citizens. 

The  history  of  the  Westport  Borden  family 
in  question  follows  in  chronological  order  from 
the  immigrant  settler. 

(I)  Richard  Borden,  born  in  1601,  died  May 
25,  1671.  The  Christian  name  of  his  wife  was 
Joan.  She  was  born  in  1604  and  died  July 
15,  1688.  Mr.  Borden  was  admitted  an  inhabi- 
tant of  the  island  of  Aquidneck  in  1638,  being 
then  of  Portsmouth,  R.  I.  On  May  20th  of  that 
same  year  he  was  allotted  five  acres  of  land. 
He  took  an  important  and  active  part  in  the 
early  affairs  of  Portsmouth.  He  was  assistant 
in  1653-54;  general  treasurer  in  1654-55;  com- 
missioner in  1654-56-57;  and  deputy  in  1667- 
70.  The  children  of  Richard  and  Joan  Borden 
were :  Thomas,  Francis,  Mary,  Matthew,  John, 
Joseph,  Sarah,  Samuel,  Benjamin  and  Amey. 

(II)  John  Borden,  born  in  September,  1640, 
married  Dec.  25,  1670,  Mary,  born  in  1655, 
daughter  of  William  and  Mary  (Walker)  Earle, 
and  was  of  Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  and,  like  his 
father,  was  prominent  in  the  public  affairs  of 
the  town.  He  was  deputy  in  1673,  1680,  1700, 
1704,  1705  and  1708.  He  died  June  4,  1716, 
and  his  wife  in  June,  1734.  Their  children 
were :  Richard,  John,  Amey,  Joseph,  Thomas, 
Hope,  Mary,  William  and  Benjamin. 

(III)  Richard  Borden,  born  Oct.  25,  1671, 
married  about  1692  Innocent  Wardell.  He 
lived  on  the  main  road  about  a  mile  from  the 
east  shore  of  Mount  Hope  bay  and  two  and  a 
half  miles  south  of  the  city  hall  in  Fall  River, 
his  homestead  comprising  about  200  acres  of 
land.  He  became  one  of  the  wealthiest  men 
in  the  town,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he 
was  one  of  the  largest  landholders  in  the  town. 


554 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


He  lived  until  about  the  age  of  sixty  years. 
His  children  were :  Sarah,  John,  Thomas,  Mary, 
Joseph,  Samuel  and  Eebecca. 

(IV)  Thomas  Borden,  bom  Dec.  8,  1697, 
married  Aug.  14,  1721,  Mary,  born  Oct.  6, 
1695,  daughter  of  Christopher  and  Meribah 
Gifiord.  Mr.  Borden  died  in  April,  1740,  in 
Tiverton,  R.  I.  Their  children  were :  Richard, 
born  in  1722;  Christopher,  born  Oct.  10,  1726; 
Deborah;  Mary,  and  Eebecca. 

(V)  Christopher  Borden,  son  of  Thomas, 
born  Oct.  10,  1726,  married  Dec.  24,  1748, 
Hannah  Borden,  daughter  of  Stephen.  Chris- 
topher Borden  inherited  from  his  father  what 
was  known  as  the  Cranberry  Neck  property  with 
other  lands,  and  became  a  farmer  there,  and 
probably  built  the  first  sawmill  on  the  site, 
where  stood  some  years  ago  the  mill  of  younger 
generations  of  the  family.  He  was  one  of  the 
substantial  men  of  his  commimity.  He  died 
in  1800. 

(VI)  Jonathan  Borden,  son  of  Christopher, 
born  May  5,  1761,  married  Elizabeth  Bowen. 
Mr.  Borden  was  a  farmer  and  mill  owner,  a 
very  active  business  man,  was  successful  in  his 
undertakings,  and  was  honest  and  straight- 
forward. He  was  a  man  of  a  social  and  genial 
nature.  His  death  occurred  May  19,  1848. 
His  children  were :  Abraham,  Phebe,  Thomas, 
Rhoda,  Isaac  and  Elizabeth. 

(VII)  Abraham  Borden,  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Elizabeth  (Bowen),  was  bom  July  20, 
1793,  on  the  farm  occupied  after  him  by  his 
son  Christopher,  in  the  town  of  Westport,  Mass., 
and  in  the  house  in  which  he  went  to  housekeep- 
ing and  continued  to  live  through  life.  He  inher- 
ited a  farm  from  his  father  which,  with  some 
land  he  himself  purchased,  made  him  an  estate 
of  some  270  acres.  In  addition  to  farming  he 
was  occupied  in  lumbering.  He  was  a  man  of 
quiet  disposition  and  rather  reserved  in  man- 
ner, going  through  life  in  the  even  tenor  of  his 
way,  caring  nothing  for  political  preferment 
or  the  excitement  that  goes  with  politics, 
although  he  had  opinions  of  his  own,  and  was 
fixed  in  them.  He  married  Phebe,  daughter 
of  Lemuel  and  Maria  (Tripp)  Barker,  of  Dart- 
mouth. Three  children  blessed  the  marriage, 
namely:  Christopher;  Rhoda,  who  married 
Abiel  Davis;  and  Maria  R.,  who  married  Capt. 
Weston  Jenney.  The  mother  was  a  member 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  her  husband, 
while  not  a  member,  attended  the  Friends' 
meetings.     He  died  Oct.  28,  1864. 

(VIII)  Christopher  Borden,  son  of  Abraham 
and  Phebe  (Barker)  Borden,  was  bom  Oct.  20, 
1815,  in  that  part  of  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  that  later 
became  the  town  of  Westport,  Mass.,  and  on 


land  that  had  been  for  generations  before  him 
occupied  by  his  ancestors.  He  was  reared  amid 
agricultural  pursuits  and  attended  the  schools 
of  his  neighborhood,  furthering  his  studies  ia 
the  Friends'  School  in  Providence,  R.  I.  After 
his  school  days  were  over  he  returned  to  the 
farm,  becoming  associated .  with  his  father  in 
the  conduct  of  the  farm  and  in  the  lumbering 
business.  In  these  operations  he  in  time  suc- 
ceeded his  father.  Mr.  Borden,  though  occupy- 
ing the  same  farm,  by  the  changing  of 
boundary  lines  lived  in  two  States  and  three 
towns,  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  and  Fall  River  and 
Westport,  Mass.  He  was  much  in  the  public 
service  of  his  tovra;  was  a  member  of  the  town 
council  of  Tiverton,  frequently  served  as  select- 
man of  Westport ;  was  a  member  of  the  auditing 
committee  for  years,  and  held  other  minor 
ofiices.  A  man  possessing  the  confidence  of  his 
fellow  citizens,  and  one  having  managed  his 
own  affairs  successfully,  he  was  frequently 
called  upon  to  settle  estates.  He  was  a  man  of 
a  sunny,  cheerful  and  genial  disposition,  and 
won  and  held  friends.  His  political  aiEliations 
were  first  with  the  Whig  party,  then  with  the 
Republican.  He  was  a  stockholder  in  the 
Metacomet,  Pocasset  and  Union  Banks  of  Fall 
River,  and  of  the  Commercial  Bank  at  New 
Bedford.  He  also  held  stock  in  the  Flint,  Bar- 
nard and  Weetamoe  Mills  in  Fall  River,  and 
was  interested  in  and  a  director  of  the  Fall 
River  Manufacturing  Company. 

On  Feb.  11,  1839,  Mr.  Borden  married  Lucy 
H.,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Sarah  S.  (Howland) 
Davis,  who  was  born  Feb.  11,  1818,  in  West- 
port,  Mass.  She  died  March  10,  1897.  Six 
children  blessed  the  marriage,  namely:  Jona- 
than ;  Alice  A.,  who  married  George  H.  Hicks, 
of  Fall  River,  and  had  children,  Christopher 
B.,  Lester,  Edgar  A.,  Alice  and  George  H. ; 
Mary  E.,  who  married  Isaac  W.  Howland,  of 
Little  Compton,  R.  I.,  and  died  leaving  a  son 
William  W. ;  Othniel  T.,  who  was  accidentally 
killed  while  hunting,  at  the  age  of  nineteen; 
Edwin;  and  Phebe  S.,  v;ho  married  Arthur  D. 
Cornell,  and  died  leaving  two  daughters,  Lucy 
Sarah  and  Mary  Elizabeth.  Mr.  Borden  died 
at  his  home  in  Westport,  Mass.,  Dec.  12,  1894. 

(IX)  Jonathan  Bokden,  son  of  Christopher 
and  Lucy  H.  (Davis)  Borden,  was  born  May 
15,  1841,  in  that  part  of  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  that 
became  Westport,  Mass.,  the  eldest  of  a  family 
of  six  children.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  town,  remaining  at  home  until 
fourteen  years  of  age.  He  then  went  to  work 
for  his  grandfather  Borden,  later  marrying  and 
locating  in  the  town  and  upon  lands  held  by 
successive  generations  of  his  ancestors,  and  con- 


<^^s#^ 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


555 


tinuing  to  be  occupied  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  has  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father, 
and  has  long  been  one  of  Westport's  leading 
farmers  and  substantial  men.  For  three  years 
he  served  as  selectman  of  the  town.  He  is  of 
a  quiet,  unassuming  nature,  and  has  so  lived 
as  to  have  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  com- 
munity. 

On  Nov.  7,  1861,  Mr.  Borden  married  Mary 
M.,  born  April  24,  1846,  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Mary  (Snell)  Estes,  he  a  direct  descendant 
of  Richard  Estes,  who  came  from  Dover,  Eng- 
land, to  this  country  in  1684  (stopping  a  few 
days  in  Boston,  thence  proceeding  to  what  is 
now  Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  there  joining  his  brother 
Matthew  who  had  preceded  him),  from  whom 
his  descent  is  through  Robert  Estes,  Thomas 
Estes  and  Peter  Estes.  Seven  children  have 
blessed  the  marriage  of  Jonathan  Borden  to 
Mary  M.  Estes,  namely :  Mercy  D.  married 
Walter  F.  Grinnell,  of  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  and  has 
three  children,  Annie  May,  Wilfred  and  Doro- 
thy; Thomas  E.,  born  Aug.  9,  1866,  married 
Macie  Grinnell,  lives  in  Westport,  and  has  six 
children,  Myra  T.,  Clarence,  Louise,  Raymond, 
Philip  and  Katherine;  Othniel  T.,  born  Dec. 
18,  1868,  married  Sarah  P.  Upham,  resides  at 
Westport,  and  has  children,  Othniel,  Esther 
and  Osmund;  Christopher,  born  Nov.  27,  1871, 
married  Alice  F.  Greene,  lives  at  Westport, 
and  has  children,  Mildred,  Gertrude,  Chris- 
topher, Vivian  and  Jonathan;  Mary  R.,  born 
June  20,  1874,  married  James  H.  Kay,  of  Fall 
River,  and  has  children,  Harold,  Henry,  Bere- 
nice and  Dorothy;  Jennie  M.,  born  Jan.  1, 
1878,  married  Arthur  M.  Read;  Jonathan  L.  is 
deceased.  The  mother  of  these  died  Sept.  10, 
1896. 

(IX)  Edwin  Boeden,  son  of  Christopher 
and  Lucy  H.  (Davis)  Borden,  was  born  June 
26,  1850,  in  that  part  of  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  now 
Westport,  Mass.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  town  and  the  Friends'  School  in 
Providence,  R.  I.  Mr.  Borden  continued  at 
home  assisting  his  father  in  his  farming  and 
business  operations  until  his  marriage,  and  has 
since  been  engaged  in  farming  and  business  for 
himself. 

Unlike  his  father  before  him  Mr.  Borden  has 
given  little  or  no  time  to  politics  in  the  way  of 
office  seeking  or  holding,  having  no  taste  in  that 
direction.  He  has,  however,  ever  taken  that 
interest  in  public  affairs  that  becomes  any  good 
citizen,  and  is  a  Republican  in  principle.  He 
has  many  acquaintances  and  friends  who  hold 
him  in  the  highest  esteem  for  his  many  good 
qualities.  He  is  a  member  of  Mount  Vernon 
Lodge,  No.  157,  K.  of  P.,  Fall  River. 


On  March  2,  1871,  Mr.  Borden  married  Mary 
E.,  daughter  of  William  and  Nancy  (Pierce) 
Young,  and  their  children  are:  Minnie  E., 
born  Sept.  16,  1872,  married  George  S.  Law- 
ton,  and  has  two  children,  Ina  A.  and  Alice  E. ; 
Ida  H.,  born  Sept.  19,  1874,  married  Henry  J. 
Sampson;  William  C,  born  Aug.  17,  1878, 
married  Cora  Macomber,  lives  at  Westport,  and 
has  three  children.  Hazel  L.,  Elton  M.  and 
Eleanor  M. ;  Beriah  E.,  born  May  16,  1880, 
resides  at  Westport,  where  he  is  prominent  in 
Masonry,  being  a  Knight  Templar  and  a  Shrin- 
er;  and  Minerva  A.,  born  Dec.  26,  1882,  mar- 
ried Walter  F.  Sanford,  of  Dorchester,  Mass. 
(no  issue). 

DR.  FREDERICK  HUBBARD  HOOPER. 
In  the  death  of  Dr.  Frederick  Hubbard  Hooper 
the  city  of  New  Bedford  lost  one  of  its  eminent 
medical  practitioners  and  a  citizen  who  in  fifty 
years  of  residence  there  had  proved  himself 
worthy  of  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his 
fellow  men.  He  was  a  native  of  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire,  born  at  Walpole  June  12, 
1829. 

John  Hooper  was  the  first  of  the  name  in 
Bridgewater.  He  married  Sarah,  perhaps  the 
daughter  of  .John  Harden,  and  they  had  chil- 
dren born  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century,  and  before  their  location  in 
Bridgewater. 

Levi  Hooper  was  bom  in  Bridgewater  in 
1742,  and  in  1767  married  Susanna  Leach. 
When  a  young  man  he  went  on  a  whaling  voy- 
age to  Hudson  bay,  and  on  his  return  enlisted 
as  a  soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian  war, 
which  closed  in  1763.  On  the  expiration  of 
his  term  of  enlistment — nine  months — he  was 
unable  to  get  his  pay  unless  he  would  remain 
in  the  service  three  months  longer;  this  he 
did,  but  at  the  close  of  the  time  he  was  no 
better  off,  and  so  with  three  other  soldiers  he 
took  "French  leave"  and  made  for  home.  On 
reaching  Walpole,  N.  H.,  the  soil  and  heavy 
growth  of  timber  pleased  Mr.  Hooper  so  much 
that  he  was  induced  to  return,  after  visiting 
his  home  and  friends,  and  locate  there.  He 
returned  to  Walpole  in  1771,  and  soon  after 
buried  his  wife  Susanna.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) in  1771  Sarah,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Hall, 
by  whom  he  had  six  children.  He  bought  in 
1775  the  Samuel  Chase  farm  and  located  on 
the  southern  part  of  it.  In  1781  he  built  and 
moved  into  the  so-called  mansion,  later  the 
residence  of  George  D.  Hooper,  of  Walpole; 
there  he  lived  and  died.  In  the  Revolution  he 
served  as  second  lieutenant  of  a  company  in 
General  Bellows's  regiment,  and  later  as  cap- 


556 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


tain.  Captain  Hooper  was  a  man  of  resolute 
character,  held  many  town  offices  and  accumu- 
lated a  competence. 

Salmon  Hooper,  son  of  Levi,  bora  Aug.  7, 
1774,  married  Nov.  8,  1795,  Kebecca  Foster. 

Levi  Hooper  (2),  son  of  Salmon  and  Re- 
becca, was  born  April  7,  1801,  and  married 
Jan.  19,  1826,  Harriet,  daughter  of  John 
Graves.    Nine  children  were  bom  to  this  union. 

Dr.  Frederick  Hubbard  Hooper,  son  of  Levi 
and  Harriet  (Graves)  Hooper,  was  born  June 
12,  1829,  in  Walpole,  N.  H.,  where  he  was 
schooled  and  prepared  in  part  for  the  medical 
profession,  completing  his  studies  in  the  Col- 
lege of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  New  York 
City,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated 
with  honors,  taking  the  degree  of  M.  D.  He 
practiced  his  profession  for  a  time  in  his  na- 
tive town,  then  for  a  short  time  in  Fall  River, 
Mass.,  where  an  uncle.  Dr.  J.  Foster  Hooper, 
was  located,  and  in  1857  came  to  New  Bed- 
ford, Mass.,  where  for  nearly  fifty  years  he  con- 
tinued in  the  active  practice  of  medicine,  be- 
coming one  of  the  leading  physicians  of  the 
city  and  one  of  its  best  known  citizens. 

In  his  early  professional  career  in  New  Bed- 
ford Dr.  Hooper  for  a  period  was  located  in 
the  "Parker  Hovise."  Later  he  established  him- 
self upon  his  own  property,  his  residence  on 
the  comer  of  William  and  County  streets, 
where  he  continued  during  the  remaining  years 
of  his  active  practice — some  thirty-seven  years. 

During  the  Civil  war  Dr.  Hooper  was  the 
examining  surgeon  for  the  government  in  what 
was  styled  the  Cape  Cod  district.  Of  a  retir- 
ing disposition,  he  never  sought  or  held  politi- 
cal office  other  than  that  alluded  to  above.  He 
was  a  charter  member  of  the  Massachusetts 
Medical  Society,  and  at  one  time  served  as  its 
secretary.  He  was  a  trustee  of  the  New  Bed- 
ford Five  Cents  Savings  Bank,  and  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Wamsutta  and  Country  Clubs.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Unitarian  Society,  attend- 
ing that  church  for  many  years. 

Dr.  Hooper  never  married.  He  left  sur- 
viving him  a  sister,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Weymouth, 
of  Walpole,  N.  H.,  and  a  brother,  George  L. 
Hooper,  of  Lowell,  Massachusetts.  Dr.  Hooper 
died  Aug.  31,  1908,  at  his  home,  aged  seventy- 
nine  years,  two  months,  nineteen  days,  and  was 
buried  at  Walpole,  New  Hampshire. 

The  excellent  likeness  of  Dr.  Hooper,  ap- 
pearing in  this  publication  is  presented  solely 
by  Miss  E.  Maud  Hume,  who  for  nearly,  twenty 
years  was  the  faithful  housekeeper  for  Dr. 
Hooper.  Miss  Hume  is  a  native  of  Dartmouth, 
Nova  Scotia,  daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  Isaac 
Hume,  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  denomination 


afid  well  known  in  Lunenburg   county.  Nova 
Scotia. 

NOMUS  PAIGE,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  best 
known  physicians  as  well  as  one  of  the  oldest  in 
point  of  service  in  Taunton,  and  one  of  that 
town's  most  active,  progressive  and  public- 
spirited  citizens,  is  a  member  of  an  ancient 
Massachusetts  family,  and  was  born  in  Went- 
worth,  N.  H.,  March  26,  1840,  son  of  Joseph 
and  Pamelia   (Ellsworth)    Paige. 

(I)  John  Page  was  of  Hingham  and  Haver- 
hill, Mass.,  removing  to  the  latter  town  about 
1652.  He  died  Nov.  23,  1687,  and  his  widow, 
Mary  (Marsh),  died  in  1697.  Their  children 
were:  John,  baptized  July  11,  1641;  Onesiph- 
orus,  baptized  Nov.  20,  1642;  Benjamin,  bap- 
tized July  14,  1644;  Mary,  baptized  May  3, 
1646;  Joseph,  baptized  March  5,  1647-48;  Cor- 
nelius, baptized  July  15,  1649;  Sarah,  baptized 
July  18,  1651;  Elizabeth,  born  June  15,  1653; 
Mercy,  born  April  1,  1655;  Ephraim,  born  Feb. 
27,  1658-59. 

(II)  Onesiphorus  Page,  son  of  John  and 
Mary  (Marsh)  Page,  was  born  about  1642,  and 
was  a  weaver  at  Salisbury,  where  he  took  the 
oath  of  fidelity  and  allegiance,  and  where  he 
was  a  householder  in  1677.  He  married  (first) 
Nov.  22,  1664,  Mary  Hauxworth,  and  (second) 
July  31,  1695,  Sarah  (Morrill),  widow  of 
Philip  Eowell.  He  died  June  28,  1687.  His 
children  were:  Mary,  who  died  Oct.  5,  1666; 
Mary  (2),  born  Oct.  29,  1666;  Joseph,  born 
April  6,  1670;  Abigail,  born  June  23,  1672; 
Mary,  born  Nov.  18,  1674:  Sarah,  bom  July 
6,  1677;  Onesiphorus,  born  Feb.  10,  1679;  Cor- 
nelius, who  died  in  1683;  Mary,  born  Sept.  29, 
1686;  and  John,  born  Feb.  21,  1696-97. 

(III)  Joseph  Page,  son  of  Onesiphorus  and 
Mary  (Hauxworth),  born  April  6,  1670,  mar- 
ried (first)  March  12,  1690-91,  Sarah  Smith, 
who  died  in  1693.  The  name  of  his  second  wife 
was  Elizabeth.  His  children  were :  Sarah, 
born  Oct.  13,  1691;  Judith,  Oct.  22,  1693; 
John,  June  17,  1696  (married  Mary  Winsley) ; 
Joseph,  Sept.  3,  1698;  Joshua,  Nov.  15,  1700; 
Benjamin,  May  14,  1703;  Mary,  May  26,  1706; 
and  Onesiphorus,  Sept.  18,  1708. 

(IV)  John  Page,  son  of  Joseph  and  Eliza- 
beth, was  born  June  17,  1696.  In  1720  he 
married  Mary  Winsley,  and  they  lived  in  South 
Hampton  and  in  Salisbury.  They  became  the 
parents  of  children  as  follows:  Ebenezer,  born 
July  19,  1720 ;  Samuel ;  Betsey,  born  Aug.  12, 
1724;  Moses,  Sept.  3,  1726;  John.  Nov.  11, 
1728:  Ephraim,  March  16,  1731;  Mary,  April 
5,  1733;  Benjamin,  Aug.  17,  1735;  Benjamin 
(3),  Aug.  6,  1737;  and  Enoch,  Sept.  29,  1741. 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


557 


John  Page  and  his  five  sons — Samuel,  John, 
Ephraim,  Moses  and  Enoch — were  original  pro- 
prietors of  Wentworth.  Two  of  the  sons, 
Ephraim  and  Enoch  (called  Major),  moved 
from  Salisbury  to  Wentworth  at  its  earliest  set- 
tlement, and  appear  to  have  been  the  only  orig- 
inal proprietors  who  permanently  settled  in  the 
town  (Dr.  Hoyt's  History  of  Wentworth).  Maj. 
Enoch  Page  was  appointed  one  of  the  judges  of 
the  Inferior  court  for  the  county  of  Grafton. 

(V)  Ephraim  Page,  son  of  John  and  Mary, 
was  born  March  16,  1731,  and  died  Nov.  4, 
1802.  He  married  Hannah  Currier,  'frho  was 
baptized  May  2-1,  1738,  and  died  July  9,  1813, 
As  above  stated,  Ephraim  Page  was  of  Salis- 
bury, Mass.,  and  Wentworth,  N.  H.  He  had 
three  sons:  John,  born  1769;  Samuel,  1773; 
and  Currier,  1781. 

(VI)  John  Page,  son  of  Ephraim,  born  May 
24,  1769,  died  Sept.  5,  1840.  He  was  a  lad  of 
only  four  or  five  years  when  his  father  moved 
to  Wentworth.  Of  schooling  he  had  very  little, 
but  he  was  a  man  of  good  mind  and  excellent 
memory,  early  showed  marked  capacity  for  busi- 
ness, and  was  successful  in  whatever  he  under- 
took. At  his  father's  death  he  inherited  the 
homestead  (afterward  the  town  farm),  where 
for  many  years  he  resided.  He  was  one  of  the 
largest  farmers  and  landliolders  in  town,  own- 
ing a  large  quantity  of  land  in  various  parts 
of  the  town,  especially  Ellsworth  Hill.  About 
1824  he  moved  to  the  village,  and  for  a  short 
time  kept  tavern  at  the  old  stand,  which  he  then 
owned.  The  business,  however,  not  being  con- 
genial to  his  tastes,  he  moved  to  the  three-story 
house  adjoining,  where  he  made  his  home  until 
his  death.  He  married  Hannah  Elimball,  born 
April  5,  1772,  died  Feb.  17,  1837,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Kimball,  one  of  the  early  settlers.  She 
was  a  woman  greatly  beloved  by  all  who  knew 
her.  To  John  and  Hannah  Page  were  born 
children  as  follows :  James,  born  July  26, 
1794;  Ephraim,  May  22,  1796 ;  John,  Jr.,  April 
27,  1798  ;  Elinor,  Feb.  19,  1800 ;  Samuel,  March 
17,  1803;  Joseph,  July  19,  1805;  Hannah, 
April  17,  1807;  Simon,  April  20,  1809 ;  Louisa, 
April  18,  1811 :  Sally,  May  30,  1814;  and  Han- 
nah, April  13,  1816. 

(VII)  Joseph  Page,  son  of  John  and  Han- 
nah, bom  July  19,  1805,  died  July  19,  1851. 
On  April  13,  1832.  he  married  Nancy  Peck, 
(second)  Feb.  18,  1836,  Betsey  Webster,  and 
(third)  Sept.  22,  1839,  Pamelia  Ellsworth 
(born  June  17,  1807,  died  July  19,  1872).  To 
the  first  marriage  was  born  a  daughter  Sarah 
(born  1832),  who  married  R.  W.  Shelbourne 
in  1855.  No  children  were  born  of  the  second 
marriage,  but  to  the  third  came:    Nomus  and 


Onias,  born  March  26,  1840,  of  whom  Onias 
died  March  26,  1840;  Onias  (2),  born  Oct.  9, 
1841,  who  married  June  30,  1868,  Mary  Louisa 
Park;  Octavia  Catharine,  born  Feb.  11,  1843; 
Helen  M.  and  Ellen  M.,  born  Oct.  31,  1844; 
Joseph,  Jr.,  born  July  12,  1846 ;  and  Ellen  E., 
born  July  12,  1848. 

(VIII)  Dr.  Nomus  Paige,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Pamelia  (Ellsworth),  was  born  in  Wentworth, 
N.  H.,  March  26,  1840.  He  received  his  early 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  Wentworth, 
and  took  a  preparatory  course  of  three  years  at 
Kimball  Union  Academy,  Meriden,  N.  H.  From 
there  he  entered  the  medical  department  of 
Dartmouth  College  at  Hanover  in  1859,  and 
graduated  in  April,  1861.  While  there  he  re- 
ceived instruction  from  the  famous  surgeon, 
Prof.  Dixi  Crosby,  the  professor  of  surgery  at 
Dartmouth.  Before  his  graduation  Dr.  Paige 
became  interne  in  the  hospital  on  Deer  island, 
Boston  Harbor,  for  six  months,  and  at  the  same 
time  attended  medical  lectures  at  the  Boston 
Medical  School.  In  June,  1861,  he  was  ap- 
pointed assistant  physician  at  the  State  Lunatic 
Asylum  at  Taunton,  where  he  remained  a  little 
over  two  years.  In  the  latter  part  of  1863  he 
established  himself  in  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession in  Taunton,  where  he  has  continued  for 
nearly  fifty  years.  While  not  having  made  a 
specialty  of  surgery,  he  has  had  a  wide  experi- 
ence in  it.  Dr.  Paige's  practice  at  one  time  was 
larger  perhaps  than  that  of  any  other  physi- 
cian in  southern  New  England.  For  twenty- 
seven  years  he  was  physician  to  the  Bristol 
county  jail. 

Although  so  deeply  engrossed  in  his  pro- 
fession, Dr.  Paige  has  nevertheless  been  inter- 
ested in  the  material  development  of  the  city 
and  was  one  of  the  builders  and  a  director  of 
the  Nemasket  Mill  (now  a  part  of  the  New 
England  Cotton  Yarn  Company).  In  1882  he 
organized  the  Taunton  Electric  Light  Com- 
pany, it  being  the  third  company  of  the  kind 
in  the  State.  Of  this  he  became  a  director, 
and  in  1887  its  treasurer,  and  he  continued  as 
manager  in  control  of  the  company  until  1897, 
when  it  was  sold  to  the  city.  Under  municipal 
ownership  he  was  appointed  manager  of  the 
plant,  and  so  continued  until  1901.  This  plant 
is  to-day  krgely  the  product  of  the  Doctor's 
industry,  energy  and  foresight.  He  is  one  of 
the  trustees  of  the  Taunton  Savings  Bank.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  in  the  early 
days  of  the  city  he  was  a  member  of  the  com- 
mon council,  and  also  city  physician.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical 
Society  since  1863,  and  has  held  all  the  offices 
in  that  society;  he  is  a  trustee  and  a  member 


558 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


of  the  consulting  staff  of  Morton  hospital.  Dr. 
Paige  is  a  communicant  of  St.  Thomas'  Epis- 
copal Church,  of  Taunton,  and  one  of  its 
vestrymen. 

On  Nov.  22,  1866,  Dr.  Paige  married  Maria 
Josephine  Hewins,  of  Hyde  Park,  Mass.,  who 
died  in  1876.  He  married  (second)  June  30, 
1881,  Mrs.  Nora  (Colby)  Baylies,  daughter  of 
Samuel  Colby,  of  Taunton.  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Paige  had  two  children,  namely :  Eussell  Colby, 
born  Aug.  11,  1882,  married  Ethel  G.  Baker, 
daughter  of  Charles  F.  Baker,  of  Taunton,  and 
has  a  son,  Samuel  Colby,  born  Oct.  5,  1909 ; 
Katharine  Crossman,  born  in  February,  1884, 
married  Eugene  W.  Leach,  of  Concord,  N.  H., 
and*  they  have  a  daughter,  Barbara,  born  Oct. 
17,  1909.  Mrs.  Nora  Paige  died  Aug.  13,  1903. 
(VIII)  De.  Onias  Paige,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Pamelia  (Ellsworth)  Paige,  was  born  in  the  old 
town  of  Wentworth,  N.  H.,  Oct.  9,  1841,  and 
came  to  Taunton  in  1862,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one,  to  study  dentistry  with  Dr.  John  T.  Cod- 
man,  whose  office  was  on  Main  street.  Dr.  Cod- 
man,  in  his  youth,  was  a  member  of  the  famous 
Brook  Farm  community,  and  a  delightful  por- 
trayer  of  the  people  and  scenes  of  that  experi- 
ment of  associated  labor.  In  March,  1865,  Dr. 
Paige  opened  his  office  in  the  City  Hotel  build- 
ing, and  this  became  his  work  home  for  the  rest 
of  his  busy  life.  Interested  in  good  government, 
he  gave  his  ward  and  the  city  his  best  service 
as  councilman  and  alderman  (representing  the 
Third  ward),  and  finally  as  mayor  for  three 
terms,  in  the  years  1877,  1878  and  1879.  His 
administration  was  characterized  by  clean-cut, 
efficient  business  methods,  and  he  himself  was 
honestly  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  people. 
When  his  work  for  the  public  was  over  he  gave 
close  attention  to  his  business,  which  had  been 
all  the  time  large  and  lucrative. 

Dr.  Paige  was  for  many  years  a  member  of 
the  Parish  committee  of  the  Unitarian  Church, 
and  no  one  in  the  city  had  a  larger  acquaint- 
ance with  the  clergy  and  laity  of  that  denomi- 
nation. He  was  a  man  who  did  his  duty  quietly 
and  unobtrusively,  but  none  the  less  effectively. 
He  remained  true  to  his  ideals,  and  was  known 
as  a  man  of  unimpeachable  integrity.  His  life 
extended  over  more  than  threescore  years — 
busy,  well-spent  years. 

Dr.  Paige  married,  June  30,  1868,  Mary  L. 
Park,  of  Taunton,  and  they  had  one  daughter, 
Abby  Louise.     Dr^  Paige  died  Sept.  2,  1905. 

ELLERY  C.  CAHOON.  The  standard  writ- 
ers, such  as  Farmer,  Savage  and  Pope,  of  the 
pioneers  of  New  England  give  nothing  of  the 
Cahoons,  but  Baylies  refers  to  William  Gaboon 


as  an  inhabitant  of  Rehoboth  in  1665,  where 
nothing  of  vital  record  seems  to  appear. 
Fragmentary  accounts  of  the  Gaboon  family, 
however,  appear  in  Cape  Cod  towns.  James 
Gaboon  is  referred  to  as  born  Oct.  25,  1696, 
son  of  Widow  Mary  Davis;  wliile  William  and 
Sarah  Gaboon  are  given  as  among  the  first  set- 
tlers of  Chatham.  The  latter  was  originally  the 
district  of  Manamoit  or  Monomoy,  and  became 
incorporated  as  a  town,  in  1712.  Another  tract 
of  land  called  Satuckett  became  the  town  of 
Harwich  in  1694.  Id  this  latter  town  have 
'lived  the  branch  of  xhe  Gaboon  family  here 
considered — the  descendants  of  a  James 
Gaboon,  as  will  be  observed  farther  on. 

A  James  Gaboon  figured  in  the  early' pro- 
ceedings of  the  town  of  Wellfleet,  which  be- 
fore it  was  incorporated  in  a  town  was  the 
North  precinct  of  Eastham.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  North  precinct,  held 
Jan.  29,  1738-39,  James  Gaboon  was  appointed 
one  of  a  committee  "to  take  an  account  of  ye 
agents  for  building  ye  meeting  house."  Mr. 
Gaboon  was  chosen  one  of  the  assessors  in  1742- 
43,  and  again  in  1743-44.  The  family  of  Wil- 
liam and  Sarah  Gaboon  as  of  early  Chatham 
record  as  above  alluded  to  were :  Marcy,  bom 
May  7,  1717;  Sarah,  born  March  4,  1719-20; 
and  James,  born  May  8,  1721. 

James  Gaboon  of  the  early  family  of  this 
surname  on  Gape  Cod  lived  in  Harwich. 

Seth  Gaboon,  son  of  James,  of  Harwich, 
married  Mariba  (or  according  to  another 
Sally),  and  their  six  children  were:  Ezekiel, 
Seth,  Ziba,  Hannah,  Rebecca  and  Mariba.  Of 
these,  Kzekiel  is  mentioned  farther  on;  Seth 
married  Mehitable  Godfrey  and  had  children, 
Seth,  Benjamin  and  Mehitable;  Ziba  married 
Ruth  Bassett  and  their  children  were  Ziba, 
Nathaniel,  Louisa,  Ann,  Sarah,  Amanda;  Re- 
becca was  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Almena  Rob- 
bins,  of  East  Harwich. 

Ezekiel  Gaboon,  son  of  Seth,  was  bom  in 
1799  in  East  Harwich,  Mass.,  where  his  life 
was  spent  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  where 
he  died  Sept.  22,  1877,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 
He  married  about  1826  Polly  Baker,  of  East 
Harwich,  daughter  of  Anthony  Baker,  who  died 
April  24,  1853,  aged  eighty-seven  years,  five 
months ;  he  was  married  three  times,  Mrs. 
Gaboon's  mother  being  his  first  wife.  Mrs. 
Gaboon  was  born  in  1803,  and  died  in  East 
Harwich  Sept.  26,  1877,  aged  seventy-four 
years,  only  a  few  day?  after  the  death  of  her 
husband.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren (the  eldest  born  in  1827),  namely:  Eze- 
kiel (whose  wife's  name  was  Catherine),  Ellery 
E.,    Alonzo,    Benjamin,    Trxunan,    Marrietta, 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


559 


Polly,  Emma  and  Catherine.  Of  these,  Alonzo 
married  a  Snow  (first  name  possibly  Cather- 
ine), and  Capt.  Frank  Cahoon,  of  South  Chat- 
ham, is  his  son. 

Ellery  Eldridge  Cahoon,  son  of  Ezekiel,  was 
born  in  1830  in  East  Harwich,  Mass.,  and  died 
in  East  Brewster,  Mass.,  in  1863.  In  early 
life  he  was  a  shoemaker,  receiving  the  stock  for 
the  shoes  from  the  Melrose  factories  and  making 
the  same  at  his  home,  as  was  the  custom  in 
those  days.  Later  he  had  a  store  in  Brewster, 
and  also  ran  a  team  on  the  Cape,  selling  Yan- 
kee notions,  hardware,  etc.  In  politics  he  was  a 
Whig  and  latet  a  Eepublican.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  Church.  He  married  Sarah 
Freeman,  of  Brewster,  Jlass.,  daughter  of  An- 
thony Freeman;  she  survived  her  husband,  and 
passed  away  in  Brockton,  Mass.,  the  mother  of 
the  following  children:  Elnora  F.,  who  mar- 
ried Alvin  W.  Sears,  died  in  Brewster  from 
injuries  received  in  being  thrown  from  a  car- 
riage; Ellery  Carroll  is  mentioned  below;  An- 
thony B.,  born  in  1858,  died  in  1859 ;  Louisa, 
who  married  Charles  Parker,  died  in  Brockton ; 
and  Nellie  Frances  married  William  Wixon,  of 
West  Brewster,  where  they  reside. 

Ellery  Carroll  Cahoon,  president  of  the 
Brockton  Board  of  Trade,  one  of  the  trustees 
of  the  People's  Savins  Bank,  director  of  the 
Security  Cooperative  Bank,  senior  member  of 
the  firm  of  Cahoon,  Kingman  &  Swift,  public- 
spirited,  forceful  and  useful  citizen,  entered 
into  rest  Aug.  3,  1907,  at  Norwood,  Mass.  Mr. 
Cahoon  was  bom  Aug.  22,  1853,  at  East  Brew- 
ster, Mass.,  and  the  public  schools  of  that  town 
afforded  him  his  means  of  education.  His  first 
work  after  leaving  school  was  the  driving  of  the 
stage-coach  through  the  town  of  Dennis,  and  he 
became  very  well  known  to  the  people  of  that 
section.  About  1871  he  came  to  North  Bridge- 
water  (now  Brockton),  and  entered  the  employ 
of  L.  F.  Severance,  at  that  time  a  leading  mar- 
ket man,  and  remained  there  some  years.  He 
then  went  to  Luce  &  Poole,  a  firm  engaged  in 
the  same  line  of  business,  and  continued  with 
them  until  he  went  into  the  wholesale  beef 
business,  forming  the  firm  of  Cahoon,  King- 
man &  Swift,  a  branch  of  Swift  &  Co.,  of  Chi- 
cago, and  this  business  grew  rapidly,  expanding 
with  the  broadening  of  the  interests  of  the  town, 
and  playing  an  important  part  therein. 

While  devoted  to  the  interests  of  his  business, 
Mr.  Cahoon  was  a  many-sided  man,  and  with- 
out neglecting  any  one  thing  was  able  to  be 
interested  in  many  lines  of  activity.  From  the 
inception  of  the  Brockton  Board  of  Trade  he 
was  one  of  its  active  workers,  inspiring  others 
to  greater  effort  by  his  enthusiasm,  and  shortly 


before  his  death  had  been  elected  its  president. 
He  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  People's  Sav- 
ings Bank,  and  an  officer  of  the  Security  Co- 
operative Bank.  In  the  Commercial  Club  he 
was  an  ever-welcome  adviser  and  tireless  worker. 
He  had  been  active  in  a  garbage  disposal  scheme 
for  the  city,  and  at  his  request  an  agent  of  the 
Wiselogel  Sewerage  Disposal  Company,  of  St. 
Louis,  visited  Brockton  and  explained  to  the 
city  officials  the  system  he  represented.  This 
question  had  engrossed  Mr.  Gaboon's  attention 
for  some  time,  and  he  was  on  the  alert  to  find 
the  best  practical  method  for  his  city*. 

Mr.  Cahoon  was  a  member  of  the  Porter  Con- 
gregational Church,  and  was  the  senior  melh- 
ber  of  the  parish  committee  and  collector  of  the 
church.  He  was  a  member  and  at  one  time  a 
director  of  the  Brockton  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  and  in 
the  Brockton  No-License  League  he  was  vigi- 
lant and  energetic,  at  all  times  taking  a  firm 
stand  on  the  side  of  morality  in  commercial, 
social  and  municipal  life.  He  was  a  friend  of 
humanity — the  love  of  his  friends  was  a  marked 
characteristic,  and  his  hearty  greeting  cheered 
many  a  wavering,  despondent  being.  His  pres- 
ence vibrated  sincerity  and  loyalty,  and  became 
a  tonic  to  those  associated  with  him.  He  kept 
himself  pure  and  sweet  amid  all  the  temptations 
of  life,  and  no  taint  of  corruption  rested  upon 
him.  Large  responsibilities  and  trusts  were 
confided  to  him,  and  his  reliability  was  never 
questioned.  His  square  dealing  was  known  to 
all  his  business  acquaintances,  and  the  confi- 
dence given  him'  in  return  was  implicit. 

To  Mr.  Cahoon  life  brought  its  duties,  and 
he  felt  that  the  day  of  no  man  was  his  own. 
Each  day,  each  hour,  had  its  task,  and  there 
were  no  idle  moments.  He  loved  life  and  its 
activity,  and  he  faced  each  day  with  the  cour- 
age and  confidence  that  bespoke  his  faith — a 
faith  that  questioned  not  the  duties  thrust  upon 
him,  but  lent  strength  to  their  accomplishment. 
Mr.  Cahoon  was  prominent  in  fraternal  cir- 
cles, being  a  member  in  and  collector  of  Brock- 
ton Lodge,  Knights  of  Honor ;  a  member  of  the 
N.  E.  0.  P. ;  Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ; 
Satucket  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  Brockton  Council, 
R.  &  S.  M. ;  and  Bay  State  Commandery,  K. 
T.,  Brockton. 

On  June  16,  1875,.  Mr.  Cahoon  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Annie  C.  Johnson,  of  East 
Boston,  Mass.,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Ellen 
(Murray)  Johnson,  both  natives  of  Boston.  Two 
children  were  born  to  them :  Edith  Louise, 
who  died  aged  nine  years;  and  Ellery  Carroll, 
Jr.,  who  died  aged  nine  months.  Mrs.  Cahoon 
and  Mr.  Cahoon's  sister,  Mrs.  William  Wixon, 
of  Brewster,  survive  to  mourn  his  death. 


560 


SOTJTHEASTEKX  MASSACHUSETTS 


The  funeral  services  were  held  at  the  home, 
No.  695  Belmont  street,  Brockton,  and  were 
simple  but  impressive.  Associates  in  business 
and  fraternal  life,  friends,  all  were  there,  Rev. 
Dr.  Albert  Marion  Hyde  conducted  the  services, 
and  the  Gerrish  quartette  sang  several  selec- 
tions.    Dr.  Hyde  said  in  part: 

"Every  interest  in  our  community  has  suf- 
fered grievous  loss  in  the  death  of  Ellery  C. 
Cahoon.  The  business  world  in  which  he  has 
long  stood  in  such  honor,  the  social  circles  to 
which  he  always  brought  much  bounding  good 
cheer,  the  church  interests  to  which  he  was  al- 
ways such  a  faithful  ally,  the  charitable  insti- 
tiftions  to  which  he  was  such  a  liberal  giver, 
are  all  poorer  because  he  has  gone  out  from  us. 
Active  and  energetic,  always  abounding  in  vi- 
tality and  good  cheer,  he  has  been  among  our 
first  and  our  best  in  all  that  counts  for  the  com- 
munity and  the  individual.  I  do  not  need  to 
speak  his  eulogy.  The  eulogy  of  such  a  char- 
acter is  never  spoken.  Not  the  words  but  the 
works  which  follow  him  will  be  his  memorial 
monument.  Through  all  the  record  of  our 
brother's  life  four  great  words  are  shining,  in- 
tegrity, industry,  friendship,  faith _• . 

We  can  say  of  him  as  Whittier  said  of  Agassiz : 

"As  thiu  mists  are  glorified, 
By  the  light  they  cannot  hide. 
All  who  gazed  upon  him  saw, 
Through  its  veil  of  tender  awe, 
How  his  face  was  still  uplit 
By  the  old  sweet  look  of  it; 
Hopeful,  trustful,  full  «f  cheer, 
And  the  love  that  casts  out  fear." 

The  directors  of  the  Security  Cooperative 
Bank,  at  their  meeting  held  in  Brockton  Sept. 
19,  1907,  adopted  resolutions  as  follows : 

Whebeas,  the  dark  Angel,  whose  wings  ever  spread 
in  flight  summoning  our  friends  and  loved  ones 
to  the  eternal  and  invisible  beyond,  has  paused  to 
deliver  his  dread  message  to  Ellery  Carroll  Ca- 
hoon, our  friend,  companion  and  co-worker,  and 

Whereas,  in  the  sudden  answer  to  the  summons  we 
are  brought  to  realize  how  strong  a  character  and 
how  noble  a  man  has  been  removed  from  among 
us,  leaving  a  place  vacant  and  calling  for  some 
one  to  step  from  the  ranks  of  thoughtless  toil 
and,  in  his  stead,  administer  relief  to  the 
distressed  and  comfort  to  the  afflicted; 

Be  It  Resolved,  that  in  his  death  the  Security  Co- 
operative Bank  and  the  community  at  large  have 
suffered  a  loss  that  is  severely  felt ;  that  in  the 
twenty-four  years  that  he  has  been  a  member  of 
this  institution,  thirteen  years  as  a  director  and 
four  years  as  a  vice  president,  he  has  performed 
service  to  the  bank  and  to  the  community  that 
will  be  of  lasting  benefit;  that  the  kindly  smile, 
hearty  handshake,  and  cheery  word  of  Ellery 
Carroll  Cahoon  have  been  blessings  to  us  all,  and 
we  are  called  upon  to  turn  from  the  considera^ 


-tion  of  our  own  condition  and  affairs  to  offer  our 
deepest  sympathy  to  his  bereaved  family  in  the 
loss  sustained. 

(Signed) 

Grant  D.  Anthony, 
Samtiei.  Goodwin, 

B.  B.  WiNSLOW, 

Committee. 

BLACKSTONE  (Bridgewater  family).  The 
name  Blackstone  (early  written  Blaxton)  is  a 
very  ancient  one  in  Massachusetts  and  the  fam- 
ily later  a  most  respectable  and  honored  one 
in  the  ancient  towns  of  Branford  and  Nor- 
wich, in  Connecticut,  descendants  of  that  New 
England  pioneer  and  Boston-Eehoboth  settler, 
William  Blackstone.  And  at  Bridgewater,  this 
Commonwealth,  in  that  ancient  Plymouth  Col- 
ony town,  the  name  and  family  have  stood  not 
less  conspicuously,  reference  being  made  to 
Hollis  M.  Blackstone,  the  head  of  the  Bridge- 
water  family,  who  for  upward  of  twenty-five 
years,  as  superintendent,  has  had  the  manage- 
ment of  the  State  farm  at  that  place. 

William  Blackstone,  the  pioneer,  is  supposed 
to  have  been  a  graduate  of  Emanuel  College, 
Cambridge,  in  1617,  and  a  clergyman  of  the 
Church  of  England.  He  left  there  because 
of  a  dislike  of  the  Lords  Bishops.  He  was 
probably  of  Robert  George's  party,  who  made 
settlement  in  1623  at  Weymouth.  About  1623 
he  moved  from  Plymouth  to  the  peninsula  of 
Shawmut,  where  Boston  was  afterward  built, 
and  was  living  there  alone  when  Governor  Win- 
throp  arrived  at  Charlestown  in  1630.  Black- 
stone went  to  Winthrop,  told  him  of  an  ex- 
cellent spring  at  Shawmut,  and  invited  him 
thither.  The  Governor  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  church  accepted  this  invitation.  The 
land,  although  Blackstone  had  occupied  it  first, 
belonged  to  the  Governor  and  company,  and  on 
April  1,  1633,  they  gave  him  fifty  acres,  near 
his  house,  "to  enjoy  forever."  He  sold  his  es- 
tate in  1634,  purchased  cattle  with  the  pro- 
ceeds of  his  sale  and  m  that  or  the  subsequent 
year  removed  to  Rehoboth,  and  was  the  firs' 
permanent  white  settler  there.  His  locatic 
there  was  on  the  banks  of  the  Blackstone  (nr 
in  the  town  of  Cumberland,  R.  I.)  and  vr.> 
called  by  him  "Sturdy  Hill."  It  is  said  t 
he  .planted  the  first  orchard  in  Massachus'  .-r?, 
and  also  the  first  in  Rhode  Island. 

On  July  4,  1659,  Mr.  Blackstone  marr;?'^! 
Sarah  Stephenson,  widow  of  John.  He  l^od 
May  26,  1675,  and  she  in  June,  1673.  '"i? 
family  name  has  been  perpetuated  throv  vh  hin 
only  son,  John  Blackstone,  a  resident  o:^  }  ■  ' 
both,  Mass.,  Providence,  R.  I.,  Attleborc  "■  n  ■ 
and   Branford,   Conn.     John   Blacksto  >•     ■ 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


561 


ried  a  woman  whose  Christian  name  was  Cath- 
erine. Soon  after  going  to  Branford,  it  is 
thought,  Mr.  Blackstone  went  to  sea  and  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  a  seafaring  man  for 
a  number  of  years,  becoming  master  and  owner 
of  a  vessel,  and  carried  on  trade  with  the 
West  Indies.  Subsequently  he  became  a  farmer 
in  Branford  and  the  proprietor  of  a  large 
landed  estate  which  for  generations  has  been 
handed  down  from  father  to  son.  Through  the 
second  John  and  only  child,  so  far  as  ascer- 
tained, have  descended  the  distinguished  Bran- 
ford and  Branford- Norwich  (Conn.)  lines  of 
Blackstones,  the  especial  worthies  being  Capt. 
James  Blackstone  and  his  sons  Hon.  Lorenzo 
and  Timothy  B.  Blackstone.  Capt.  James 
Blackstone,  a  farmer  of  Branford,  for  a  time 
during  the  war  of  1813,  in  command  of  a 
company,  did  coast  guard  duty.  He  served  his 
town  as  assessor  and  selectman,  was  its  repre- 
sentative in  the  State  Assembly,  and  his  dis- 
trict in  the  Senate;  Lorenzo  Blackstone  was 
for  nearly  a  third  of  a  century  prominently 
identified  with  the  manufacturing  interests  of 
Connecticut,  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of 
Norwich,  for  some  thirty  years  president  of  one 
of  the  banks  there,  for  years  the  city's  honored 
mayor  and  its  representative  in  both  the  lower 
house  and  Senate  of  the  General  Assembly  of 
Connecticut;  while  the  late  Timothy  B.  Black- 
stone, who  had  left  the  East  nearly  fifty  years 
before  his  death,  and  at  the  latter  time  was  a 
resident  of  Chicago,  for  some  thirty  years 
managed  with  consvmomate  skill  the  affairs  of 
the  most  successful  of  all  the  great  railways  of 
the  West,  and  was  best  known  as  president  of 
the  Chicago  &  Alton  Eailway  Company.  Tim- 
othy B.  Blackstone  was  the  donor  of  the  hand- 
some and  costly  library  at  Branford,  Conn., 
which  is  styled  "The  James  Blackstone  Memo- 
rial Library."  This  building  he  had  erected, 
and  provided  an  endowment  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  library,  in  memory  of  his  father. 
It  is  thought  that  the  Maine  branch  of  the 
Blackstone  family,  from  which  descends  Hollis 
M.  Blackstone,  superintendent  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts State  farm  in  Bridgewater,  springs 
from  William  Blackstone,  the  pioneer  and  Bos- 
ton settler.  One  Benjamin  Blackstone  was 
among  those  whose  right  in  the  common  lands 
of  the  town  of  Falmouth,  Maine,  under  pro- 
vision of  Governor  Danforth,  was  acknowledged 
in  May,  1730,  his  name  being  of  record  there 
in  this  connection,  in  the  month  and  year 
named.  Varney  Blackstone,  M.  D.,  father  of 
Hollis  M.,  was  a  practicing  physician  of  Free- 
dom, Maine,  where  his  death  occurred  when  he 
was  aged  forty-one  years.     His  wife,  formerly 

36 


Julia  Lamson,  like  himself  a  native  of  Maine, 
was  a  daughter  of  James  Lamson,  who  was  a 
pensioner  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  for  many 
years  a  deacon  of  the  Baptist  Church.  She  is 
still  living,  now  (1910)  in  her  ninetieth  year, 
and  makes  her  home  with  her  son,  Hollis  M. 
Five  children  were  born  to  Dr.  Blackstone  and 
his  wife,  namely:  Francis  Lamson,  who  died 
young;  William,  who  died  aged  nineteen  years; 
HoUis  M. ;  John  Milton,  who  died  young ;  and 
Euphemia,  who  married  Ellis  H.  Walker,  who 
is  engaged  in  farming  in  Rehoboth,  Massachu- 
setts. 

Hollis  M.  Blackstone,  left  fatherless  at 
the  age  of  six,  was  early  thrown  upon  his  own 
resources,  practically  so  when  twelve  years  of 
age.  Through  persistent  efforts  he  acquired  an 
academic  education,  and  after  completing  his 
education  taught  school  for  some  time.  He 
lived  in  his  native  State  until  reaching  the  age 
of  twenty-two,  and,  subsequently  taking  up  his 
residence  in  Boston,  he  in  1873  was  appointed 
to  a  clerkship  at' the  city  institution  on  Deer 
island.  He  continued  in  that  position  until 
1877,  when  he  was  chosen  superintendent  of 
the  Marcella  Street  Home,  conducted  by  the 
city  of  Boston,  and  located  at  the  Highlands. 
In  1883  he  was  the  choice  of  the  board  of 
trustees  for  the  superintendency  of  the  State 
farm  in  Bridgewater,  and  that  he  has  fully 
displayed  the  competency  and  fidelity  expected 
of  him  is  amply  attested  by  his  long  tenure  of 
office.  This  institution  has  three  separate  de- 
partments :  the  workhouse,  to  which  are  sen- 
tenced habitual  inebriates,  tramps,  vagrants, 
and  ic"o  and  disorderly  persons;  the  State  alms- 
house, which  is  a  retreat  for  the  sick  and  in- 
firm poor  of  southeastern  Massachusetts;  and 
the  asylum  for  insane  criminals.  The  State 
farm  of  1,200  acres  is  beautifully  and  health- 
fully located,  and  its  present  handsome  struc- 
tures of  brick,  stone  and  concrete,  which  re- 
placed the  former  wooden  buildings  destroyed 
by  fire  on  July  2,  1883,  are  models  as  to  thor- 
oughness of  construction  and  completeness  in 
every  detail.  The  conflagration,  which  de- 
stroyed the  old  buildings,  occurred  the  day 
after  Mr.  Blackstone  took  charge  of  the  insti- 
tution; and  the  architectural  plans  and  speci- 
fications for  the  present  buildings  were  all 
planned  in  detail  by  him ;  this  was  the  pioneer 
venture  in  this  State  in  the  use  of  reinforced 
concrete  in  the  construction  of  buildings.  The 
present  management  is  accomplishing  the  work 
for  which  it  is  intended  in  a  most  satisfactory 
manner,  and  the  superintendent  is  exceedingly 
popular  with  all  parties  interested  in  the  wel- 
fare of  the  institution.     The  excellent  results 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


obtained  at  the  farm  are  due  mainly  to  his 
executive  ability  and  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  work,  and  in  all  probability  his  continuance 
in  office  is  optional  with  himself.  When  he 
took  charge  of  the  State  farm  but  157  persons 
were  inmates  of  the  same,  while  now  this  in- 
stitution takes  care  of  an  average  of  2,400  the 
year  round.  Included  in  his  duties  at  the 
State  farm  are  those  of  postmaster. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Blackstone 
is  a  Republican.  He  was  for  years  a  member 
of  the  Bridgewater  school  board  and  for  seven- 
teen years  its  president.  He  belongs  to  Fellow- 
ship Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Bridgewater, 
and  to  the  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  of  Bridgewater, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Unitarian  Church,  at 
Bridgewater. 

On  Feb.  8,  1877,  Mr.  Blackstone  married 
Sarah  F.  Roberts,  of  Brooks,  Maine,  daughter 
of  Alfred  Roberts,  and  the  union  has  been 
blessed  with  these  children :  Alfred  Varney ; 
Helen  Monroe,  who  was  educated  in  the  local 
schools  and  Bradford  Academy,  and  is  now  the 
wife  of  Frank  H.  Carlisle,  M.  D.,  of  the  Fox- 
boro  (Mass.)  State  Hospital;  and  Nellie,  who 
died  young. 

Alfeed  Varney  Blackstone,  M.  D.,  only 
son  of  Hollis  M.,  was  educated  in  the  public 
and  high  schools  of  Bridgewater,  after  which, 
in  1899,  he  entered  Brown  University,  gradua- 
ting therefrom  in  1903,  and  later  taking  a  course 
at  Harvard  Medical  College,  graduating  from 
the  latter  in  the  class  of  1907,  with  the  de- 
gree of  M.  D.  He  then  went  to  Europe,  and 
took  a  post-graduate  course  at  Dublin  Hospital, 
Dublin,  Ireland,  after  which  he  became  ship 
surgeon  on  the  Nelson  Line,  sailing  to  South 
America.  He  is  now  located  at  Absarokee, 
Mont.,  where  he  is  practicing  his  profession. 
He  is  unmarried. 

DAVIS  (Plymouth  family).  If  is  the  pur- 
pose of  this  article  to  set  forth  in  chronological 
order  and  briefly  from  the  earliest  known 
American  ancestor  a  line  of  the  Davis  family 
that  has  been  conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  Ply- 
mouth and,  beyond*  the  town,  in  those  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts.  Reference  is 
made  especially  to  Thomas  Davis,  the  first  of 
the  family  at  Plymouth,  who  was  one  of  the 
leading  ship  owners  and  prominent  business 
men  of  his  time  in  the  town ;  to  his  sons  Hon. 
Thomas  Davis,  long  one  of  the  leading  public 
men  of  Plymouth  and  of  the  Commonwealth, 
serving  in  high  public  station  in  each;  Hon. 
John  Davis,  a  graduate  of  Harvard,  lawyer  and 
judge^  member  of  the  Constitutional  conven- 
tion, etc.;  Isaac  P.  Davis,  Esq.,  for  years  one 


of  the  most  extensive  manufacturers  of  Boston; 
Hon.  Wendell  Davis,  a  graduate  of  Harvard, 
lawyer,  high  sheriff  of  Barnstable  county,  etc.; 
and  William  Davis,  Esq.,  who  succeeded  his 
father  in  navigation  and  the  merchant  service; 
and  in  succeeding  generations  to  the  late  Hon. 
Charles  Gideon  Davis,  a  graduate  of  Harvard, 
lawyer  and  judge  and  man  of  affairs;  to  the 
latter's  brother,  the  late  Hon.  William  Thomas 
Davis,  also  a  graduate  of  Harvard,  lawyer,  his- 
torian, and  prominent  public  official;  and  to 
their  sons,  respectively,  Charles  S.,  lawyer,  now 
active  and  prominent  in  the  professional  life 
of  his  section,  president  of  one  and  director 
of  two  Plymouth  banks;  and  Howland  Davis, 
member  of  the  firm  of  Blake  Brothers,  New 
York  and  Boston,  and  who  has  his  summer 
home   at  Long   Pond,   Plymouth. 

And  it  will  be  noted  further  along  that  this 
line  of  the  Plymouth  Davis  family  have  an 
allied  connection  in  the  beginning  with  a  de- 
scendant of  Evert  Jansen  Wendel,  a  native  of 
the  city  of  Embden,  East  Friesland  (now  Han- 
over); on  the  confines  of  the  United  Provinces 
of  Holland,  who  came  thence  in  1640  to  New 
Netherlands  in  America  under  the  Dutch  West 
India  Company  and  became  a  resident  of  New 
Amsterdam  on  the  island  of  Manhattan,  the 
present  site  of  the  city  of  New  York ;  and  from 
whom  have  descended  the  Massachusetts  family 
of  the  name,  including  the  late  eminent  Wendell 
Phillips  and  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 

(I)  Thomas  Davis  came  from  England  and 
was  at  Albany.  He  is  believed  to  have  been  a 
descendant  of  Robert  Davis  of  Plymouth.  He 
married  Catherine  Wendell,  and  removed  to  the 
State  of  North  Carolina  about  1730.  Their 
children  were:  Robert,  born  in  1708;  John; 
Catherine,  born  in  1714,  who  married  John 
Creecy,  of  North  Carolina;  Thomas,  born  in 
1738;  David,  born  in  1724;  Benjamin,  and 
Miles. 

The  Wendell  family  is  of  Germanic  origin 
and  of  great  respectability.  The  coat  of  arms, 
which  has  the  device  of  a  ship  under  full  sail 
and  two  anchors,  and  which  was  stained  on  nine 
panes  of  glass  in  the  east  window  of  the  old 
Dutch  church  at  Albany,  demolished  in  1805, 
and  the  matrimonial  alliances  which  they 
formed  among  tlie  Van  Rensselaer,  De  Key  and 
Steats  families  indicate  their  high  social  stand- 
ing (Rev.  Elias  Nason  in  New  England  Histori- 
cal and  Genealogical  Register,  Vol.  XXII,  page 
420). 

(II)  Thomas  Davis  (2),  son  of  Thomas  and 
Catherine  (Wendell)  Davis,  born  in  1722,  came 
to  Plymouth  in  1737  for  the  purpose  of  being 
educated  under  the  care  of   Elkanah   Morton. 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


563 


He  married  in  1753  Mercy,  born  in  1734, 
daughter  of  Barnabas  Hedge  and  his  wife 
Mercy  (Barnes-Cole),  he  a  direct  descendant 
of  William  Hedge  of  Lynn,  1634,  and  afterward 
of  Sandwich  and  Yarmouth,  through  Elisha 
Hedge  and  his  wife  Mary,  and  John  Hedge  and 
his  wife  Thankful  (Lothrop),  of  Barnstable. 
Mr.  Davis  was  a  soldier  in  the  expedition 
against  Louisburg.  After  his  return  he  engaged 
in  navigation,  conducting  a  large  trade  with 
the  West  Indies,  Spain,  France  and  along  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean  sea,  being  one  of 
the  leading  ship  owners  and  prominent  busi- 
ness men  of  the  then  busy  town  of  Plymouth. 
In  1782  one  of  the  vessels,  the  schooner  "Har- 
mony," commanded  by  Nathaniel  Carver,  was 
overhauled  and  captured  by  Horatio  Nelson, 
afterward  Lord  Nelson,  the  noted  English  ad- 
miral, and  the  captain  was  held  as  prisoner, 
being  compelled  to  pilot  the  English  ship 
through  comparatively  unknown  and  intricate 
passages  out  of  the  way  of  the  French  fleet 
which  put  out  from  Boston  for  its  capture. 
Once  safe  from  the  French  Nelson  put  the  cap- 
tain ashore.  In  the  possession  of  the  Davis 
family  is  Nelson's  certificate  of  capture  and  re- 
lease of  the  ship  and  his  signature  to  it  is  the 
only  known  autograph  of  Nelson  in  this  coun- 
try. The  children  of  Thomas  and  Mercy 
(Hedge)  Davis  were:  Sarah,  born  in  1754, 
who  married  LeBaron  Bradford,  of  Bristol,  E. 
I.,  son  of  William  Bradford,  the  latter  at  one 
time  United  States  senator  from  Ehode  Island ; 
Thomas,  born  in  1756;  William,  born  in  1758; 
John,  born  in  1761;  Samuel,  born  in  1765; 
Isaac  P.,  born  in  1771;  and  Wendell,  born  in 
1776.     Of  these  sons, 

(III)  Thomas  Davis  was  a  representative 
from  Plymouth,  senator  from  Plymouth  county, 
senator  from  Suffolk  county,  treasurer  and  re- 
ceiver general  of  the  Commonwealth  from  1792 
to  1797,  and  president  of  the  Boston  Marine 
Insurance  Company  from  1799  until  his  death, 
Jan.  21,  1805. 

(Ill)  John  Davis  was  graduated  from  Har- 
vard in  1781,  and  entered  the  legal  profession. 
He  was  the  youngest  member  of  the  convention 
on  the  adoption  of  the  State  constitution,  and 
in  1796  was  appointed  by  Washington  comp- 
troller of  the  United  States  treasury.  In  1801 
he  was  appointed,  by  John  Adams,  judge  of  the 
United  States  court  for  the  district  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  continued  on  the  bench  forty 
years.  He  was  treasurer  of  Harvard  College 
from  1810  to  1827.  fellow  of  Harvard  from 
1803  to  1810,  and  president  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Historical  Society  from  1818  to  1843.  He 
died  in  Boston  Jan.  14,  1847. 


(Ill)  Samuel  Davis  was  a  well-known  anti- 
quarian, a  learned  linguist,  and  a  recognized 
authority  on  questions  relating  to  Indian  dia- 
lects. He  was  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society,  recipient  of  an  honorary  de- 
gree from  Harvard  in  1819,  and  died  in  Ply- 
mouth July  10,  1829. 

(Ill)  Isaac  P.  Davis  was  for  many  years  an 
extensive  manufacturer  in  Boston,  owning  a 
rope  walk  on  the  mill  dam,  now  Beacon  street, 
and  perhaps  was  more  widely  known  in  Boston, 
than  any  other  man  of  his  time.  He  was  a 
friend  of  artists  and  a  patron  of  art,  whose 
judgment  and  taste  were  freely  consulted  by 
purchasers.  Stuart,  the  portrait  painter,  was 
his  intimate  friend,  as  was  Webster,  who  dedi- 
cated a  volume  of  his  speeches  to  him. 

(Ill)  Wendell  Davis  was  graduated  from 
Harvard  in  1796,  was  clerk  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Senate  from  1802  to  1805.  He  studied 
the  law  with  his  brother  John,  and  settled  in 
Sandwich.  He  served  by  appointment  of  the  gov- 
ernor as  sheriff  of  Barnstable  county.  He  was 
the  father  of  Hon.  George  T.  Davis,  of  Green- 
field, whom  Thackeray  declared  the  most  bril- 
liant conversationalist  he  had  ever  met. 

(Ill)  William  Davis,  son  of  Thomas  and 
Mercy  (Hedge)  Davis,  born  July  15,  1758, 
married  in  1781  Eebecca,  born  in  1762,  daugh- 
ter of  Nathaniel  and  Eebecca  (Jackson)  Mor- 
ton, and  a  direct  descendant  of  George  Morton, 
of  Yorkshire,  England,  who  early  joined  the 
Pilgrims  in  Leyden,  Holland,  and  sailed  with 
his  wife  and  five  children  in  the  "Ann,"  the 
third  and  last  ship  to  carry  what  are  distinc- 
tively known  as  the  Forefathers,  and  reached 
Plymouth  early  in  June,  1623,  from  whom  her 
descent  is  through  Ephraim  and  Ann  (Cooper), 
Nathaniel  and  Mary  (Faunce),  Nathaniel  (2) 
and  Meriah  (Clark)  and  Nathaniel  (3)  and 
Eebecca  (Jackson).  Mr.  Davis  was  trained  in 
the  business  of  his  father,  who  was  largely  en- 
gaged in  navigation  and  foreign  trade,  and, 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  March  7,  1785,  he 
continued  the  business  of  the  firm  of  Thomas 
&  William  Davis  with  marked  success  until  his 
death.  He  was  a  representative  to  the  General 
Court  of  Massachusetts,  a  member  of  the  execu- 
tive council,  and  for  twenty-five  years  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  selectmen  of  Plymouth.  It 
is  worthy  in  this  connection  to  note  that  in 
this  line  the  services  of  four  generations  of 
the  Davis  family  as  selectmen  cover  a  period 
of  fifty-two  years.  Mr.  Davis  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Plymouth  Bank,  and  its  presi- 
flent  until  his  death,  and  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Pilgrim  Society  and  its  first  vice  presi- 
dent.   After  his  death,  Jan.  5,  1826,  his  widow 


564 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


continued  to  occupy  the  family  mansion  until 
1830,  when  she  removed  to  Boston,  where  she 
died  April  1,  1847.  The  cliildren  of  William 
and  Eebecca  (Morton)  Davis  were:  William, 
born  in  1783;  Nathaniel,  born  in  1785; 
Thomas,  born  in  1791;  and  Elizabeth,  born  in 
1803  (married  Alexander  Bliss  and  George 
Bancroft,  Mr.  Bliss  being  the  law  partner  of 
Daniel  Webster  and  Bancroft  the  eminent  his- 
torian). 

(IV)  William  Davis  (2),  son  of  William  and 
Eebecca  (Morton)  Davis,  born  in  1783,  married 
in  1807  Joanna,  daughter  of  Capt.  Gideon 
White,  of  Shelburne,  Nova  Scotia,  an  officer  in 
the  English  army,  and  a  direct  descendant  of 
William  White  of  the  "Mayflower,"  1620.  Mr. 
Davis  was  for  a  period  associated  in  business 
with  his  father.  He  died  at  the  comparatively 
early  age  of  forty-one  years,  March  22,  1824. 
The  children  of  William  and  Joanna  (White) 
Davis  were :  William  Whitworth,  born  in  1808 ; 
Eebecca,  born  in  1810,  who  married  Ebenezer 
Grosvenor  Parker  and  George  S.  Tolman ;  Han- 
nah White,  born  in  1812,  who  married  Andrew 
L.  Eussell;  Sarah  Bradford,  born  in  1814; 
Charles  Gideon,  born  in  1820 ;  William  Thomas, 
born  in  1822;  and  Sarah  Elizabeth,  born  in 
1824. 

(V)  Charles  Gideon  Davis,  son  of  William 
and  Joanna  (White)  Davis,  was  born  May  30, 
1820,  in  the  house  now  known  as  Plymouth 
Eock  House  on  Cole's  Hill,  in  Plymouth,  Mass., 
and  died  July  2,  1903.  He  acquired  his  ele- 
mentary education  in  the  home  schools  and  in 
a  private  school  at  Hingham,  Mass.;  furthered 
his  studies  in  the  Plymouth  high  school,  and 
was  prepared  for  college  under  the  direction  of 
Hon.  John  A.  Shaw  of  Bridgewater.  Entering 
Harvard  College  he  was  graduated  therefrom 
with  the  class  of  1840.  He  was  prepared  for 
the  law  under  the  direction  of  Hon.  Jacob  H. 
Loud,  of  Plymouth,  Messrs.  Hubbard  &  Watt, 
of  Boston,  and  at  the  Harvard  Law  School.  He 
was  admitted  at  the  August  term  of  the  Com- 
mon Pleas  court,  Plymouth,  1843,  and  located 
in  Boston  for  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
where  for  a  decade  he  was  engaged  in  an  active 
and  increasing  practice,  in  partnership  at  vari- 
ous times  with  William  H.  Whitman,  George  P. 
Sanger,  who  was  a  member  of  his  class  at  Har- 
vard, and  Seth  Webb,  also  of  Harvard,  of  the 
class  of  1843.  In  the  early  fifties,  owing  to 
bronchial  trouble,  he  deemed  it  was  best  to  leave 
Boston,  so  relinquished  his  practice  there  and 
retired  to  his  native  town,  where  he  ever  after- 
ward resided,  adding  to  his  professional  pur- 
suits the  vocation  of  operating  in  real  estate, 
in  which  he  exhibited  a  degree  of  public  spirit 


and  enterprise  by  which  the  town  was  largely 
benefited.  On  his  return  from  Boston  to  Ply- 
mouth he  purchased  a  farm  on  the  outskirts  of 
the  town  and  built  thereon  the  house  in  which 
he  continued  to  make  his  home  the  remainder 
of  his  years.  In  1854  he  built  the  Davis  build- 
ing, the  brick  block  at  the  corner  of  Eailroad 
avenue  in  1870,  and  for  many  years  was  the 
largest  individual  holder  of  real  estate  in  the 
town. 

While  a  resident  of  Boston  and  scarcely  be- 
yond his  majority  young  Davis  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  slave  and  became  one  of  the  organ- 
izers of  the  Free-soil  party,  in  1848.  He  was 
one  of  the  numerous  persons  arrested  and  tried 
in  1851  for  participation  in  the  rescue  of  Shad- 
rach,  the  fugitive  slave.  The  charge  was  that 
he  was  entering  the  court  room,  Shadrach  was 
going  out,  and  that  he  held  the  door  in  such 
a  way  as  to  make  the  escape  effectual.  On  this 
point  said  his  brother,  the  late  William  T. 
Davis,  "though  he  was  acquitted,  I  never  knew 
how  much  or  how  little,  if  at  all,  he  aided  the 
negro  in  his  flight."  He  with  others,  among 
them  the  afterward  war  governor  of  Massachu- 
setts, John  A.  Andrew,  and  F.  W.  Bird,  op- 
posed the  reelection  to  Congress  of  Eobert  C. 
Winthrop,  and  offered  in  Faneuil  Hall  the  reso- 
lution which  first  nominated  Charles  Sumner 
for  that  honor.  In  1863,  the  year  in  which  he 
changed  his  residence  to  Plymouth,  he  was  a 
delegate  from  Plymouth  to  the  Constitutional 
convention.  In  1856  he  was  appointed  a  mem- 
ber of  the  State  board  of  agriculture  (sustain- 
ing that  relation  until  1877)  and  in  the  same 
year  chosen  president  of  the  Plymouth  County 
Agricultural  Society,  retaining  the  latter  ofiBce 
until  resigning  in  the  year  1876.  In  1856  he 
was  one  of  three  delegates  from  Massachusetts 
to  the  convention  at  Pittsburg  at  which  the  Ee- 
publican  party  was  organized ;  was  a  delegate 
from  the  First  Massachusetts  district  to  the 
convention  at  Philadelphia  in  1856,  which  put 
John  C.  Fremont  in  nomination  for  president, 
and  to  the  convention  at  Cincinnati,  in  1872, 
which  nominated  Horace  Greeley  for  the  same 
office.  In  1859  he  was  chosen  an  overseer  of 
Harvard  University  for  five  years.  In  1861 
he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Andrew  on  a 
commission  to  propose  a  plan  for  a  State  agri- 
cultural college,  and  after  the  establishment  of 
that  institution  served  as  one  of  its  trustees 
many  years.  In  1862  he  represented  Plymouth 
in  the  General  Court  and  in  that  same  year  was 
appointed  under  the  United  States  revenue  law 
assessor  for  the  First  district,  holding  that  office 
until  1869.  In  1874  he  was  appointed  Judge  of 
the  Third  District  court,  and  remained  on  the 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


565 


bench  until  his  death.  And  during  these  vari- 
ous official  rela'^ns  and  vocations  Mr.  Davis 
steadily  followed  his  profession  and  in  a  num- 
ber of  civil  and  criminal  cases  of  importance 
he  acquitted  liimself  with  acknowledged  ability 
and  substantial  success. 

On  Nov.  19, 1845,  Judge  Davis  married  Han- 
nah Stevenson,  who  was  born  Feb.  25,  1821, 
daughter  of  Col.  John  B.  and  Mary  (LeBaron) 
Thomas,  the  former  at  the  time  clerk  of  the 
courts  of  Plymouth  county.  Mrs.  Davis  died 
Nov.  7,  1900.  Four  children  were  born  to  this 
marriage,  namely:  Charles  Howland,  born  in 
1853,  who  died  soon;  Joanna,  born  in  1856, 
who  married  Eichard  H.  Morgan;  Charles 
Stevenson,  born  in  1858;  and  Edward,  born  in 
1860,  now  deceased. 

(VI)  Charles  Stevenson  Davis,  son  of  the 
late  Judge  Charles  Gideon  Davis,  was  born  in 
Plymouth  Jan.  1,  1858.  He  received  his  early 
education  in  the  public  schools  there  and  at 
Adams  Academy,  Quincy,  Mass.,  after  which  he 
entered  Harvard,  from  which  university  he  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1880.  He  then  took 
up  the  study  of  law  in  the  ofBce  of  Bacon,  Hop- 
kins &  Bacon,  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  of  this  State  in  1882.  That 
year  he  entered  upon  another  experience  which 
has  proved  valuable  to  him,  becoming  private 
secretary  to  Justice  John  M.  Harlan,  of  the 
United  States  Supreme  court,  at  Washington, 
D.  C.  He  then  began  legal  practice  in  his  na- 
tive place,  soon  afterward,  however,  opening  an 
office  in  Boston,  where  he  has  been  practicing, 
most  successfully,  for  many  years.  Meantime, 
however,  he  has  continued  to  make  his  home  at 
Plymouth,  and  though  his  legal  interests  have 
centered  in  Boston  he  has  always  continued  to 
be  thoroughly  identified  with  his  home  city,  as 
his  numerous  relations  with  the  life  of  the  com- 
munity testify.  He  is  associate  justice  of  the 
Third  District  court  of  Plymouth  county; 
counsel  for  the  town  of  Plymouth  and  other 
towns;  president  of  the  Plymouth  Savings 
Bank;  director  of  the  Old  Colony  National 
Bank;  president  of  the  Jordan  hospital  board; 
a  trustee  of  the  Pilgrim  Society  of  Plymouth, 
and  a  director  of  numerous  manufacturing  and 
railway  corporations.  He  has  filled  a  number 
of  municipal  offices,  among  others  that  of  select- 
man, and  he  was  chairman  of  the  board.  He 
is  a  stanch  Democrat  in  political  opinion. 

On  June  30,  1886,  Mr.  Davis  married  Lydia 
Eussell,  daughter  of  the  late  John  J.  and  Mary 
(Danforth)  Russell,  the  latter  still  surviving. 
Mrs.  Davis  died  in  1910,  the  mother  of  three 
children,  Charles  Stevenson,  Jr.,  Eussell,  and 
Helen,  the  daughter  dying  in  infancy. 


(V)  William  T.  Davis,  son  of  William  and 
Joanna    (White)    Davis,    was    born    March    3, 
1823,  in  Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  in  the  town  of 
his  nativity  and  illustrious  ancestors  was  passed 
in  main  his  long  and  useful  life;  and  with  its 
affairs,  with  its  people  and  its'  institutions,  with 
the  history  from  the  time  of  the  landing  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers,  none  other  was  so  familiar. 
He  was  fitted  for  college  at  the  Plymouth  high 
school,  entered  Harvard  University,  and  was 
graduated  therefrom  with  the  class  of   1842. 
Descending  from  forefathers  of  achievement, 
from  a  liberally  educated  family,  it  was  but  nat- 
ural that  he  determined  on  entering  one  of  the 
learned   professions,   hence    he   chose   that   of 
medicine,  and  for  a  time  prosecuted  his  studies 
in  that  direction  in  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, then  continued  his  studies  for  a  year  in 
Europe.    A  change  came  upon  him,  and  on  his 
return  from  abroad  he  switched  ofE  onto  the 
law,  studying  first  for  a  time  under  the  direc- 
tion of  lus  brother  Charles  G.   (whom  it  will 
be  noticed  became  a  lawyer  of  eminence  and  a 
man  of  distinction,  at  that  time  in  Boston), 
after  which  he  furthered  his  preparation  at  the 
Harvard  Law  School.    Mr.  Davis  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  of  Suffolk  county  Nov.  9,  1849,  and 
in  the  city  of  Boston  began  the  practice  of  his 
chosen  profession.    There  he  continued  to  suc- 
cessfully prosecute  the  practice  of  law  with  zeal 
for  several  years,  but  conditions  brought  about 
another  change  in  the  course  of  his  life,  and 
in  1853  he  returned  to  his  native  town,  where 
he  engaged  in  business,  and  soon  became  one 
of  the  substantial  men  and  valuable  citizens  of 
Plymouth. 

Of  scholarly  attainments  and  of  literary 
tastes,  Mr.  Davis  in  time  drifted  into  literary 
work,  and  became  the  recognized  historian  of 
his  section,  an  acknowledged  authority  on  the 
history  and  genealogy  of  Ancient  Plymouth, 
which  meant  practically  southeastern  Massa- 
chusetts. Among  his  writings  and  publications 
are  'TSistory  of  Plymouth,"  "Ancient  Land- 
marks of  Plymouth,"  "History  of  Newburyport, 
Massachusetts,"  "Historical  Sketches  of  Some 
Massachusetts  Towns,"  and  "History  of  the 
Bench  and  Bar  of  Massachusetts."  He  also 
edited  the  "Plymouth  Town  Eecords"  (two  vol- 
umes) and  the  "History  of  the  New  England 
States"  (three  volumes).  And  this  sort  of 
work,  for  which  he  was  so  admirably  fitted, 
brought  him  in  demand  for  addresses  and  lec- 
tures along  these  lines  and  those  akin  to  them, 
and  on  various  public  occasions  not  historical 
he  also  delivered  many  addresses. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  Mr.  Davis  was 
prominent  in  the  public  affairs  of  the  com- 


566 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


munity,  the  welfare  of  which  he  had  always  at 
heart.  He  was  an  efficient  member  of  the  board 
of  selectmen  of  Plymouth  for  a  great  mapy 
years,  serving  many  times  as  its  chairman.  He 
was  first  chosen  selectman  in  1855,  and  was 
chairman  of  the  board  in  1856,  so  continuing 
until  the  spring  of  1866,  when  he  declined  fur- 
ther service.  In  1870  and  1881  he  was  again 
chosen,  but  declined;  he  was  again  chosen  in 
1888,  1889  and  1890,  serving  the  last  year  as 
chairman.  He  also  acted  as  moderator  of  the 
town  for  seventy-nine  times.  He  served  as 
a  member  of  the  school  committee  for  a  num- 
ber of  years;  in  1858  and  1859  he  was  State  sen- 
ator from  the  Plymouth  district.  As  a  Eepub- 
lican  he  was  a  Presidential  elector  from 
Massachusetts  in  1872;  he  was  a  delegate  from 
his  State  to  the  Republican  National  convention 
held  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1876,  at  which 
Rutherford  B.  Hayes  received  the  nomination 
for  the  presidency  of  the  United  States.  In 
1895  he  was  made  chairman  of  the  Old  Colony 
Commission ;  and  was  chairman  for  fifteen  years 
or  more  of  the  First  Parish  Unitarian  com- 
mittee. He  was  for  years  president  of  the  Pil- 
grim Society,  and  a  trustee  of  that  organization. 
And  in  commercial  lines  he  was  for  twenty  years 
or  more  president  of  the  Plymouth  National 
Bank,  and  for  a  time  president  of  the  Plymouth 
Gas  Company.  Mr.  Davis  also  performed  valu- 
able service  to  his  State  and  country  during  the 
Civil  war.  On  behalf  of  the  Plymouth  Bank,  of 
which  he  was  president,  he  offered  Gov.  John 
A.  Andrew  the  use  of  $20,000  as  a  contribution 
to  an  emergency  fund  to  meet  expenditures 
which  must  at  once  be  made.  He  also  did  much 
toward  relieving  suffering  among  the  families 
of  soldiers.  He  was  also  chosen  by  Governor 
Andrew  to  visit  the  Massachusetts  troops  in  the 
field  upon  several  occasions,  and  to  report  to 
him  their  condition,  sanitary  and  otherwise, 
with  the  view  of  allaying  the  anxieties  of  sol- 
diers' families,  looking  to  the  comfort  of  the 
wounded  soldiers  in  the  hospitals,  etc.  His 
work  in  this  line  resulted  in  preventing  much 
suffering  and  sickness  among  the  Massachusetts 
troops,  and  although  he  experienced  many  hard- 
ships his  first  thought  was  the  comfort  of  the 
soldiers  in  the  field,  as  well  as  the  assistance 
which  he  rendered  to  soldiers'  families  at  home. 
In  1849  Mr.  Davis  married  Abby  Burr,  who 
was  born  in  1826,  daughter  of  Thomas  Hedge 
and  his  wife  Lydia  (Coffin),  the  former  a  direct 
descendant  of  William  Hedge,  of  Lynn,  Mass., 
in  1634,  and  later  of  Sandwich  and  Yarmouth, 
through  Elisha,  of  Yarmouth;  John,  of  that 
same  town;  Barnabas;  Barnabas  (2) ;  and  Bar- 
nabas Hedge  (3). 


To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  T.  Davis  w'ere  born 
the  following  children :  AbH^  Warren,  born 
March  24,  1854,  who  married  Alexander  Jack- 
son, of  Boston;  Howland,  born  July  28,  1855, 
mentioned  below;  Katherine  Wendell,  born 
March  2,  1859  ;  and  Alice  Whitworth,  born  Dec. 
13,  1864,  who  married  Dr.  Henry  R.  Hitch- 
cock, now  of  Plymouth.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  in  Plymouth  in  August,  1895, 
and  the  father  passed  away  Dec.  2,  1907,  both 
being  laid  to  rest  in  Oak  Grove  cemetery. 

(VI)  Howland  Davis,  only  son  of  the  late 
William  T.  and  Abby  Burr  (Hedge)  Davis, 
was  born  in  Plymouth,  Mass.,  July  28,  1855, 
and  began  his  education  in  the  local  district 
schools.  He  later  attended  the  high  school,  and 
also  a  business  college  in  Boston,  after  which 
he  became  a  clerk  with  the  banking  and  broker- 
age firm  of  Blake  Brothers  &  Co.,  of  New  York 
and  Boston,  with  which  firm  he  has  since  been 
associated.  After  ten  years  of  faithful  service 
he  acquired  an  interest  in  the  business,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  the  firm  for  a  number  of 
years.  His  office  is  in  Exchange  Place,  New 
York.  Mr.  Davis  has,  however,  maintained  his 
interest  in  his  old  home  town,  and  he  and  his 
family  spend  the  summer  seasons  at  Long  Pond, 
in  Plymouth,  where  he  has  a  beautiful  home. 
Mr.  Davis  is  a  prominent  member  and  a  trustee 
of  the  Pilgrim  Society  of  Plymouth.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  General  Society  of  Mayflower 
Descendants,  of  which  he  was  elected  governor 
general  in  1909 ;  and  is  also  a  member  of  the 
New  England  Society  in  the  City  of  New  York, 
which  was  founded  in  1805,  and  of  which  he 
was  elected  president  in  1910.  His  achieve- 
ments have  been  worthy  of  the  family  to  which 
he  belongs,  and  although  he  has  devoted  prac- 
tically all  of  his  time  to  his  business  interests, 
departing  somewhat  from  the  traditions  of  his 
forefathers,  his  success  has  been  so  noteworthy 
as  to  reflect  honor  on  the  name. 

On  June  3,  1885,  Mr.  Davis  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Anna  Shippen,  daughter  of  the 
late  William  W.  Shippen,  of  New  Jersey,  and 
to  this  union  have  been  born  the  following 
children :  Howland  S. ;  Hester  L. ;  Ruth  G. ; 
Anna,  who  died  young ;  William  Shippen ;  Sybil 
W. ;  Wendell,  and  Katherine. 

DENISON  (New  Bedford  family).  The 
Denisons  of  New  Bedford — the  families  of  the 
two  brothers,  Henry  C.  and  the  late  John  H. 
Denison,  long  engaged  together  in  business  here 
under  the  firm  style  of  Denison  Brothers  and 
the  Denison  Brothers  Company,  among  the 
leading  business  men  and  substantial  citizens 
of  the  city — represent  ancient  and  most  re- 
spectable New  England  stock. 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


567 


The  birthplace  and  home  of  these  Denison 
brothers  and  of  their  father,  Daniel  Denison, 
was  in  the  to^vn  of  Hartland,  Vt. ;  their  mother, 
Pamelia  Lathrop  •  Head,  was  a  native  of  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  born  at  Franconia. 
Hartland  is  one  of  the  Vermont  towns  which 
has  a  frontage  on  the  Connecticut  river,  and 
was  first  settled  in  May,  1763,  the  date  fixed 
as  that  of  the  removal  thither  of  Timothy  Lull 
and  family.  Later  on  is  found  the  family  there 
of  George  Denison,'  comprising,  according  to 
the  first  United  States  census,  1790,  six  in  allj 
including  its  head,  who  in  1789  is  credited  with 
being  the  representative  from  Hartland  in  the 
State  Assembly;  and  still  later,  in  the  years 
1842  and  1843,  Daniel  Denison  represented  the 
town  in  the  same  body.  These  men  were  kins- 
men, father  and  son.  They  were  a  branch  of 
the  old  Denison  family  of  Stonington,  Conn. 
And  other  branches  of  the  same  stock  and  from 
Stonington  were  then  living  at  different  points 
in  Vermont.  David  Denison,  from  Stonington, 
Conn.,  a  patriot  and  officer  of  the  Eevolution, 
who  removed  to  New  London,  Conn.,  then  in 
1785  to  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  finally 
settled  in  Guilford,  Vt.,  where  he  was  a  resident 
at  the  time  of  the  taking  of  the  first  United 
States  census  in  1790.  His  wife  was  formerly 
Keziah  Smith,  of  Groton,  Conn.  William  Deni- 
son, from  Stonington,  also  removed  to  Vermont, 
as  did  a  number  of  other  families  from  that 
town. 

This  New  England  Denison  family  was  origi- 
nally from  Bishop  Stortford,  Hertfordshire, 
England,  the  name  there  being  variously 
spelled  as  Denyson,  Dennyson,  etc. 

Capt.  George  Denison,  the  Stonington  settler 
and  ancestor  of  the  George  Denison  who  re- 
moved to  Hartland,  Vt.,  was  baptized  Dec.  10, 
1620,  at  Stratford,  England,  son  of  William  and 
Margaret  (Chandler,  Monck)  Denison,  and 
grandson  of  John  Denyson  and  his  wife  Agnes 
of  Stratford  (Stortford).  He  .came  to  New 
England  with  his  father  and  family  in  1631, 
the  family  settling  in  Roxbury,  where  the  par- 
ents lived  and  died.  The  son,  George,  who 
had  been  bred  at  Cambridge,  England,  married 
about  1640  Bridget  Thompson,  daughter  of 
John  Thompson,  gentleman,  and  his  wife  Alice, 
of  Northamptonshire,  England.  She  died  in 
1643,  leaving  children  Sarah  and  Hannah.  Cap- 
tain Denison  then  returned  to  England  and 
married  Ann  Borodell,  and  again  came  to  New 
England  in  1645,  taking  up  his  abode  in  Eox- 
bury.  There  he  lived  until  1651,  when  he  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  Connecticut,  locating 
at  New  London,  thence  removing  in  1654  to 
Stonington,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until 


his  death,  though  it  occurred  at  Hartland  in 
1694.  He  won  distinction  in  both  civil  and 
military  life. 

Prom  this  Capt.  George  Denison  the  lineage 
of  George  Denison,  the  Hartland  (Vt.)  settler, 
is  through  Capt.  William  Denison  (1655-1715) 
and  his  wife  Sarah  Stanton  Prentice  (1655- 
1713)  ;  William  Denison  (1687-1724)  and  his 
wife  Mercy  Gallup  (1690-1724) ;  and  Benadam 
Denison,  of  Stonington,  Connecticut. 

George  Denison,  son  of  Benadam,  was  born 
Oct.  8,  1751,  in  Stonington,  Conn.  He  removed 
to  Hartland,  Vt.,  where  he  became  a  prominent 
man  and  was  called  Col.  George  Denison.  He 
married  there  Jan.  9,  1772,  Theody  Brown, 
born  May  9,  1752,  daughter  of  Nathan  and 
Lydia  (Dewey)  Brown,  and  a  direct  descend- 
ant of  Thomas  Brown,  of  Lynn,  Mass.  He 
married  (second)  in  Northfield,  Mass.,  Feb.  12, 
1804,  Submit  Lyman,  born  July  11,  1767.  To 
the  first  marriage  were  born:  Benadam,  born 
at  Stonington,  Conn.,  July  11,  1773;  Jonathan, 
born  at  Stonington  April  26,  1775;  Sarah,  born 
at  Stonington  May  3,  1777;  George  Washing- 
ton, born  at  Hartland,  Vt.,  Oct.  16,  1779; 
Amos,  born  at  Hartland  April  27,  1782; 
Theody,  born  at  Hartland  June  27, 1784 ;  Anne, 
born  at  Hartland  Dec.  2,  1785;  Mason,  bom  at 
Hartland  March  18,  1788;  Lucy,  born  June  15, 
1790;  and  Daniel,  born  at  Hartland  May  15, 
■1794  (died  Jan.  21,  1861).  To  the  second 
marriage  was  born  one  son,  Charles. 

Daniel  Denison,  son  of  Col.  George,  born 
May  15,  1794,  died  Jan.  21,  1861.  On  April 
8,  1827,  at  Hartland,  Vt.,  he  married  Pamelia 
Lathrop  Head,  born  Jan. ^22,  1801.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Daniel  Borodell,  bom  Jan.  1,  1828; 
Pamelia  Submit,  born  March  19,  1830;  George, 
born  Nov.  24,  1831 ;  John  Head,  born  Aug.  29, 
1833;  Mary  Ann,  born  April  30,  1835;  Helen 
Jane,  born  April  18,  1837;  and  Henry  Clay, 
born  May  18,  184i,  who  married  April  9,  1878, 
Emma  Frances  Dewey,  of  Quechee,  Vt.  (no 
children). 

John  Head  Denison,  son  of  Daniel  and 
Pamelia  Lathrop  (Head)  Denison,  was  born  at 
Hartland,  Vt.,  and  when  a  young  man  came  in 
1852  to  New  Bedford,  entering  the  employ  of 
Shaw  &  Whitridge,  in  the  grain  business.  In 
1858,  with  Joseph  B.  Warner,  he  established  a 
flouring  mill  at  the  corner  of  South  Water  and 
School  streets,  and  conducted  this  with  success. 
In  1864  Henry  C.  Denison  and  Burrage  Y. 
Warner  were  admitted  to  the  firm.  From  that 
time  down  to  within  a  few  years  of  his  death 
the  business  was  conducted  by  the  Denisona, 
'though  with  some  changes  in  the  firm  name  and 
style.    From  1871  the  firm  comprised  only  the 


568 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Messrs.  Denison,  until  in  1896  they  sold  out  to 
H.  M.  Plmnmer,  and  the  Denison-Plummer 
Company  was  organized.  The  firm  did  an  ex- 
tensive flouring  business  until  Western  compe- 
tition forced  tlie  Eastern  manufacturers  out  of 
the  field.  During  a  large  part  of  the  time  the 
firm  also  managed  the  large  mill  at  the  foot  of 
Hillman  street,  and  the  two  plants  were  con- 
sidered of  the  largest  in  this  section  of  the 
country.  Mr.  Denison  also  became  a  member 
of  and  heavy  stockliolder  in  the  Denison  Broth- 
ers Company  when  it  was  organized  for  the  coal 
trade,  though  he  did  not  enter  actively  into  the 
corporation  management.  At  one  time  he  was 
prominent  in  public  affairs.  He  was  a  Eepub- 
lican  in  politics.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Pro- 
tecting Society  in  1884  and  1885,  and  served 
as  councilman  in  1869  and  1870.  In  early  life 
he  was  deeply  interested  in  musical  affairs,  and 
for  some  years  was  a  member  of  the  Unitarian 
Church  choir.  He  died  at  his  home  in  New 
Bedford  April  25,  1899,  aged  sixty-five  years, 
eight  months. 

On  May  27,  1862,  Mr.  Denison  married 
Louise  A.,  daughter  of  Hon.  John  and  Jane 
Frances  (Foster)  Porter,  of  Hartford,  Vt.  To 
this  union  were  born  children  as  follows :  Jane 
Frances,  born  June  6,  1865,  married  Arthur  L. 
Tucker,  and  has  children,  Charles,  Henry  D., 
and  Frederick;  John  Porter,  born  Oct.  19, 1868, 
married  Emma  Retching  Wilkinson,  and  re- 
sides in  Chicago;  May  Louise,  born  Nov.  25, 
1872,  married  Dr.  Charles  A.  Pratt;  Helen 
Pamelia,  born  March  7,  1875,  married  Eev. 
Smith  0.  Dexter,  of  Concord,  Mass.,  and  they 
have  children,  Helen^  Smith  0.,  Jr.,  and  Lewis. 

John  Poetee,  father  of  Mrs.  Louise  A. 
(Porter)  Denison,  was  a  native  of  Hartford, 
Vt.,  and  lived  a  long,  prominent  and  useful  life 
there.  He  was  born  April  8,  1798,  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Mary  (Hodges)  Porter,  and  a  direct 
descendant  of  John  Porter,  who  was  bom  at 
Wruxall  Abbey,  near  Kenilworth,  County  of 
Warwick,  England,  and  sailed  from  London 
for  America  in  the  "Ann,"  accompanied  by  Eose 
Porter,  his  wife,  and  their  children,  arriving  at 
Dorchester  May  30,  1627,  thence  in  1635  going 
to  Windsor,  Conn.  According  to  Henry  D. 
White,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  Mr.  Porter  came 
with  his  wife  and  nine  children  from  Felsted, 
County  of  Essex,  England,  probably  in  the  ship 
"Susan  and  Ellen,"  in  1638,  with  wife  Anna 
White,  of  Messing,  born  July  13,  1600,  daugh- 
ter of  Eobert  White,  of  Messing,  and  his  wife 
Bridget  Allegar,  of  Stratford,  County  of 
Essex,  England.  Mr.  Porter  had  a  grant  of 
land  at  Windsor,  where  he  was  a  man  of  prom- 


inence, holding  a  number  of  public  offices, 
among  them  that  of  deputy,  serving- as  such  in 
1646  and  1647.  Through  his  son  Samuel 
Porter  and  his  wife  Hannah  Stanley,  she  of 
Hartford,  Conn.,  and  their  son  John  (born  in 
1666),  who  married  and  settled  in  Lebanon, 
Conn.,  came  the  Lebanon  and  Hebron  branch 
of  the  family. 

William  Porter,  father  of  Hon.  John  Porter, 
of  Hartford,  Vt.,  was  a  native  of  Lebanon, 
Conn.,  born  Sept.  4,  1749.  He  removed  to 
Hartford,  Vt.,  in  1780,  and  afterward  married 
Mary  Hodges,  and  nine  children  blessed  the 
marriage.  Tlieir  son  Jolm  received  the  best 
common  school  education  the  time  and  place  af- 
forded, and  also  mastered  the  elementary 
branches  of  the  sciences.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
he  taught  school  himself  in  the  vicinity  of  his 
home  town;  then  at  Eodman,  in  Jefferson 
county,  N.  Y.,  and  on  two  or  three  occasions 
made  the  entire  journey  tliere  and  back  from 
his  home,  a  distance  of  some  three  hundred 
miles,  on  foot.  Energy  and  persistence  were 
marked  traits  in  both  his  private  and  public 
life.  He  represented  his  town,  Hartford,  in 
the  Lower  House  of  the  Assembly  in  1840,  1841 
and  1842;  and  was  a  senator  from  Windsor 
county  in  1843  and  1844;  then  was  again  in 
the  House  in  1845,  1848  and  1849.  In  1851 
he  was  elected  a  director  of  the  Vermont  State 
prison,  and  again  in  1852.  In  1850  he  was 
elected  judge  of  Probate  of  Windsor  county, 
and  held  the  office  by  successive  reflections 
until  the  time  of  his  death. 

Judge  Porter  was  a  zealous  Whig,  and  for 
years  a  member  of  the  Whig  State  committee. 
In  1856,  on  the  organization  of  the  Eepub- 
lican  party,  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  presi- 
dential electors  for  Vermont.  In  1858  he  was 
appointed  a  commissioner,  with  George  P. 
Marsh  and  Norman  Williams,  to  prepare  plans 
for  the  erection  of  the  present  State  capitol  of 
Vermont,  and  also  to  superintend  its  con- 
struction. On  the  organization  of  the  Wood- 
stock Bank  he  was  elected  a  director,  serving 
until  the  bank  was  reorganized,  when  he  was 
chosen  a  director  of  the  Woodstock  National 
Bank,  a  relation  he  sustained  until  the  time 
of  his  death. 

On  May  30,  1831,  Judge  Porter  was  married 
to  Jane  Frances,  daughter  of  Dr.  Fordyce 
Foster,  of  Hartford,  Vt.,  and  six  children 
blessed  this  union,  the  following  of  whom  sur- 
vived the  father:  Jane  F.  married  Charles  T. 
Smith,  of  Colchester,  Conn.,  and  resided  at 
Brookline,  Mass.,  where  both  died;  Louise  A. 
is  the  widow  of  John  H.  Denison,  of  New  Bed- 
ford, Mass.;  Hon.  Charles  W.,  who  resided  at 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


569 


Montpelier,  Vt.  (was  former  secretary  of 
State),  where  he  died  in  1891,  married  Florence 
Bailey. 


Dr.  Charles  A.  Pratt  was  bom  in  Eayn- 
ham,  Mass.,  Oct.  23,  1863,  son  of  Hiram  A. 
and  Louise  Caroline  (Dean)  Pratt,  and  grand- 
son of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  (White)  Pratt 
(the  latter  born  in  Taunton  and  a  descendant 
of  Nicholas  White)  and  of  Charles  (born  in 
eastern  Massachusetts)  and  Lydia  (Wilbur) 
Dean  (the  latter  born  in  Taunton).  Louise 
Caroline  Dean  married  (first)  Alonzo  Dean  and 
(second)  his  brother  Charles  Dean,  sons  of 
Elisha  Dean,  Jr.,  and  grandsons  of  Elisha 
Dean,  Sr.  Dr.  Pratt  received  his  primary 
schooling  in  Eaynham  and  in  the  Somerville, 
Mass.,  public  schools,  to  which  place  his  family 
removed  when  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age. 
He  graduated  from  Harvard  University  in 
1886,  and  from  the  medical  department  of  the 
same  institution  in  1890.  He  was  for  one  and 
a  half  years  house  officer  in  a  hospital  in 
Boston,  and  in  1893  began  practice  in  New 
Bedford.  He  is  a  member  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  Massachusetts  Medical 
Society  and  Boston  Medical  Library  Association. 

Dr.  Pratt  married  May  Louise,  daughter  of 
John  H.  and  Louise  A.  (Porter)  Denison,  and 
they  have  had  children  as  follows :  John  Den- 
ison, Louise,  Charles  A.,  Jr.,  and  William 
Porter. 

SEABUEY.  The  American  ancestor  of  the 
Seaburys  of  New  Bedford  was  (I)  John  Sea- 
bury,  of  Boston,  who  died  before  1662.  The 
name  was  variously  spelled  Sebury,  Saberry,  Sa- 
berrey  and  Sabury.  John  Seabury  married 
Grace,  and  had  two  sons — John,  who  went  to 
Barbadoes;  and  Samuel,  born  Dec.  10,  1640 — 
and  several  daughters. 

(II)  Samuel  Seabury,  son  of  John,  born 
Dec.  10,  1640,  married  at  Weymouth,  Nov.  9, 
1660,  Patience  Kemp,  who  died  Oct.  29,  1676. 
He  married  (second)  April  4,  1677,  Martha 
Pabodie  (or  Peabody),  daughter  of  William 
and  Elizabeth  (Alden)  Pabodie,  and  grand- 
daughter of  John  and  Priscilla  (Mullins) 
Alden.  He  died  Aug.  5,  1681.  His  children 
were:  Elizabeth,  born  Sept.  16,  1661,  who 
probably  removed  from  the  town,  as  in  her 
mother's  will  she  was  given  a  negro  girl  Jane 
and  a  cow  "if  she  returns";  Sarah,  born  Aug. 
18,  1663;  Samuel,  bom  April  20,  1666;  Han- 
nah, bom  July  7,  1668;  John,  bom  Nov.  7, 
1670;  and  Grace  and  Patience,  twins,  born 
March  1,  1673  (all  born  to  the  first  marriage) ; 


Joseph,  born  June  8,  1678 ;  Martha,  born  Sept. 
23,  1679;  and  John,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Alden,  Dec.  9,  1697  (to  the  second  marriage). 
Samuel  Seabury,  the  father,  was  a  physician 
and  removed  to  Duxbury,  Mass.  His  will  gives 
to  his  son  Samuel  his  landed  property  in  Dux- 
bury;  to  son  Joseph  "those  great  silver  buttons 
which  I  usually  wear";  to  son  John  "my  bird- 
ing  piece  and  musket.  I  will  that  my  negro 
servant  Nimrod  (valued  at  twenty-seven 
pounds)  be  disposed  of  either  by  hire  or  sale 
in  order  to  bring  up  my  children,  especially 
the  three  youngest  now  bom." 
•  (III)  Joseph  Seabury,  son  of  Samuel  (un- 
doubtedly), removed  to  what  is  now  Little 
Compton,  E.  I.,  and  there  married  Sept.  25, 
1701,  Phebe  Smith.  He  died  Aug.  22,  1755, 
and  she  April  21,  1715.  Their  children  were: 
Samuel,  born  June  5,  1702;  Martha,  Feb.  7, 
1704;  Joseph,  Dec.  2,  1705;  Benjamin,  Jan. 
20,  1708;  Sion,  March  17,  1713;  Mary,  April 

17,  1715. 

(IV)  Benjamin    Seabury,    born    Jan.    20, 
1708,  son  of  Joseph  and  Phebe  (Smith)   Sea- 
bury,  married   in   1733   Eebecca    Southworth, 
born  Dec.  22,  1708,  daughter  of  Edward  and 
Mary.    He  died  in  1773.    Their  children  were 
Mercy,  bom  Aug.   13,  1734;  Mary,  Jan.   25 
1736;  Eebecca  (twin  to  Mary),  Jan.  25,  1736 
Euth,  Nov.  26,  1739;  Benjamin,  Jan.  24,  1743 
Fobes,  March  29,  1745   (died  June  4,  1746) 
Gideon,  March  1,  1747  (died  Oct.  29,  1827) 
Constant,  June  19,  1749;  and  Isaac,  Nov.  3, 
1751. 

(V)  Constant  Seabury,  son  of  Benjamin  and 
Eebecca,  bom  June  19,  1749,  married  in  1775 
Susanna  Gray.  He  died  in  January,  1807. 
To  him  and  his  wife  were  born  children  as 
follows:  Isaac,  bom  March  19,  1776  (died  Oct. 
20,  1850)  ;  Phebe,  May  13  (or  23),  1778;  Wil- 
liam, May  23,  1780;  Hannah,  July  29  (or  24), 
1782;  Bridget,  Sept.  14,  1784;  Ichabod,  Nov. 

18,  1786:  Eobert,  July  10,  1789;  and  Eliza- 
■  beth,  Nov.  16,  1792. 

(VI)  William  Seabury,  son  of  Constant,  was 
born  May  23,  1780,  and  died  July  30,  1852, 
in  New  Bedford.  He  was  a  master  mariner  in 
the  merchant  service,  residing  first  in  Tiver- 
ton, E.  I.,  later  in  Little  Compton,  and  after 
1833  in  New  Bedford.  On  April  12,  1807,  he 
was  married  to  Ehoda  Woodman,  bom  Dec.  11, 
1786,  who  died  Jan.  2,  1833.  On  Feb.  16, 
1834,  he  was  married  (second)  to  Sally  Wood- 
man, sister  of  his  first  wife.  They  were  daugh- 
ters of  Edward  and  Priscilla  (Negus)  Wood- 
man, granddaughters  of  John  and  Patience 
(Grirmell)  Woodman,  great-granddaughters  of 
Eobert  and  Deborah  (Paddock)  Woodman  and 


570 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


great-great-granddaughters  of  John  and  Han- 
nah (Timberlake)  Woodman,  John  Woodman  be- 
ing the  ancestor  of  this  branch  of  the  family. 
The  children  of  William  Seabury,  all  born  to 
his  first  marriage,  were  as  follows:  Otis,  born 
Sept.  1,  1808,  died  June  2,  1880;  Edward  W., 
born  Jan.  3,  1810,  died  Feb.  1,  1884;  Louisa, 
born  Nov.  11,  1811,  died  Jan.  3,  1895  (she 
married  Benjamin  Cushman)  ;  William  H., 
bom  Nov.  15,  1813,  died  Jan.  27,  1897;  Julia 
Ann,  born  May  19,  1815,  died  Jan.  12,  1892. 
unmarried;  Humphrey  W.  was  born  June  28, 
1817;  Charles  P.  was  born  Aug.  16,  1820; 
Jason,  born  Nov.  2,  1832,  was  lost  in  the  Arctic 
ocean  in  1853;  Andrew  Jackson,  born  May  19, 
1836,  died  Sept.  22,  1836. 

(VII)  Hdmpheey  W.  Seabury,  son  of  Capt. 
William  and  Ehoda  (Woodman)  Seabury,  was 
born  June  28,  1817,  in  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  boyhood  in  Little  Comp- 
ton,  whither  his  family  had  removed,  and  in 
his  sixteenth  year  came  with  them  to  their 
permanent  home.  New  Bedford.  Here,  at  this 
period,  the  enterprise  of  the  place  was  repre- 
sented around  the  busy  wharves  and  seafaring 
was  the  promising  business,  so  there  sprang  up 
in  his  mind  a  determination  to  make  that  his 
calling  and  to  become  the  commander  of  a 
ship,  an  ambition  later  attained  with  credit  to 
himself  and  profit  to  the  owners.  After  a  short 
experience  on  a  coasting  vessel  to  New  York, 
he  first  visited  a  foreign  land  when  he  went 
to  Holland  on  the  bark  with  the  good-omened 
named  "Hope,"  of  which  his  father  was  cap- 
tain. This  proved  an  auspicious  opening  to 
his  career  on  the  ocean,  though  he  began  at 
the  bottom  of  the  ladder  as  foremast  hand  and 
accepted  no  unusual  favors.  His  first  whaling 
voyage  was  commenced  in  his  nineteenth  year 
on  the  "Corinthian,"  commanded  by  Capt. 
Leonard  Crowell.  The  ship  sailed  from  New 
Bedford  Dec.  8,  1835,  and  arrived  home  Feb. 
19,  1839.  On  this  voyage  young  Seabury  ad- 
vanced upward  toward  his  cherished  goal  and 
was  promoted  from  the  position  of  boat  steerer 
to  that  of  third  mate.  His  second  voyage  was 
as  first  ofiicer  of  the  "Coral,"  Capt.  James  H. 
Sherman.  The  ship  sailed  June  16,  1839,  and 
arrived  home  June  11,  1843.  The  "Coral" 
cruised  on  the  coast  of  Peru  and  off  the 
Galapagos  islands.  Whales  were  sighted  eighty- 
nine  times  during  the  voyage  and  one  or  more 
captured  in  fifty-eight  instances.  The  whole 
number  taken  was  102.  It  was  a  most  remark- 
able catch,  surpassed  in  but  few  cases  in  the 
history  of  whale  fishery.  A  thrilling  incident 
occurred  during  this  voyage  that  well  illustrates 
the  dangers  to  which  whalemen  are  exposed. 


On  June  15,  1841,  the  "Coral's"  boats  were 
out  after  a  one-hundred-barrel  sperm  whale 
just  south  of  the  Galapagos  islands.  He  proved 
to  be  what  the  sailors  term  a  "bad"  whale — 
one  that  fights  with  his  jaws.  He  turned  upon 
the  boats  and  literally  chewed  two  of  them  in 
pieces.  One  of  the  sailors  was  drowned,  and 
another,  named  Jethro  S.  Studley,  was  saved 
from  a  similar  fate  by  the  plucky  action  of  Mr. 
Seabury,  who,  diving  for  him  as  he  sank  in 
the  depths,  brought  him  to  the  surface  by  the 
hair.  Mr.  Seabury  said  this  was  the  only  "jaw 
fighter"  he  encountered  in  his  experience,  which 
included  the  taking  of  12,000  barrels  of  sperm 
oil.  On  the  third  voyage,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
five,  Mr.  Seabury  attained  the  position  which 
he  had  aimed  to  get  since  his  youth,  and  on 
Nov.  16,  1842,  sailed  as  captain  of  the  "Coral." 
Thirty-nine  sperm  and  ten  right  whales  were 
captured  on  tliis  voyage,  and  he  rfeturned  home 
March  9,  1846.  On  Nov.  17,  1846,  he  sailed 
for  the  Pacific  ocean  in  the  "Coral,"  captured 
one  hundred  whales,  and  returned  home  June 
11,  1850,  with  a  cargo  of  3,350  barrels  of  sperm 
oil.  The  price  current  on  arrival  was  $1.19 
per  gallon,  and  the  value  of  the  entire  catch 
was  more  than  $136,000.  This  was  one  of  the 
notable  voyages  in  the  history  of  the  whaling 
industry  from  New  Bedford.  From  1850  to 
1872  Captain  Seabury  was  acting  outside  agent 
with  his  older  brother,  Otis,  during  this  time 
making  a  trip  in  1853  as  commander  of  the 
ship  "Mechanics  Own"  to  the  Sandwich  Islands 
taking  supplies  to  whaling  vessels  and  bring- 
ing back  a  cargo  of  oil  and  bone.  He  subse- 
quently made  a  merchant  voyage  to  Pernam- 
buco  and  Rio  de  Janeiro  in  1856  in  the  "Com- 
merce," visited  Paris  in  1858,  Havana  in  1870 
and  Chili  in  1871.  His  last  whaling  voyage 
was  a  short  one  entered  upon  in  May,  1860, 
when  he  took  command  of  the  "Scotland," 
which  had  come  in  before  time,  and  went  to 
the  North  Atlantic  and  returned  Dec.  1,  1860, 
with  one  hundred  barrels  of  sperm  oil. 

Captain  Seabury  retired  from  sea  service  at 
the  period  when  the  whale  fishery  had  attained 
its  most  profitable  and  successful  prosecution, 
the  middle  of  the  last  century,  and  in  1872  he 
retired  permanently  from  active  participation 
in  business,  though  to  the  date  of  his  death  he 
found  agreeable  employment  in  the  affairs  of 
the  city  and  its  institutions.  He  served  the 
city  as  alderman  from  the  Fifth  ward  in  1870, 
and  also  served  as  councilman  and  member  of 
the  school  committee.  In  all  these  positions 
he  rendered  service  with  honor  to  himself  and 
with  substantial  benefit  to  the  city.  The  New 
Bedford  Mercury  in  an  editorial  notice  of  his 


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SOUTHEASTEKN  MASSACHUSETTS 


571 


decease  said :  "He  was  a  faithful  and  conscien- 
tious public  servant,  positive  in  his  opinions, 
and  plain  in  his  expressions  of  them.  His 
honesty  was  of  the  rugged  and  uncompromis- 
ing type,  as  sterling  in  matters  of  principle  as 
in  those  which  involved  money.  He  was  an 
ardent  and  active  Eepublican,  holding  to  the 
extreme  temperance  wing  of  that  party,  and 
as  such  for  many  years  conspicuous  in  the  pri- 
mary meetings,  where  he  led  many  a  fight  with 
the  so-called  liberal  faction.  He  was  a  good 
citizen,  whose  influence  and  example  were  al- 
ways exerted  fearlessly  in  the  way  he  believed 
to  be  right." 

Captain  Seabury  was  interested  in  many  of 
the  business  enterprises  that  have  substantial- 
ly added  to  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the 
city.  He  was  a  director  in  the  First  National 
Bank,  and  at  his  death  its  officers  passed  resolu- 
tions that  extolled  his  integrity  and  his  faith- 
fulness to  duty.  He  was  a  member  of  the  In- 
dian Association  from  the  beginning  of  its  or- 
ganization, and  it  also  honored  his  memory 
with  a  testimonial  showing  appreciation  of  his 
services. 

Captain  Seabury  was  associated  with  the 
Friends'  Society,  a  constant  attendant  upon  its 
meetings,  and  a  generous  supporter  of  its  in- 
terests ;  a  member  of  the  board  of  managers  of 
the  Port  Society,  and  associate  member  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  In  all  the  stations  of  life  he 
enjoyed  the  confidence  and  sincere  respect  of 
all.  His  charities  were  of  a  quiet  nature,  yet 
few  men  more  thoroughly  considered  the  needs 
of  the  poor,  or  more  constantly  studied  the  wel- 
fare and  convenience  of  his  fellow  man. 

On  Oct.  14,  1850,  Captain  Seabury  was  mar- 
ried to  Mary  B.  Wilcox,  who  died  March  10, 
1852,  the  mother  of  one  son,  Charles  Albert, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years.  Captain 
Seabury  married  (second)  Aug.  12,  1855, 
Susan  M.  GifCord,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and 
Mercy  (Macomber)  Gifford.  Two  daughters, 
Mary  B.  and  Helen  H.,  were  born  to  this 
union,  and  reside  in  New  Bedford. 

Captain  Seabury  passed  away  on  his  birth- 
day, June  28,  1891,  and  Mrs.  Seabury  sur- 
vived him  until  March  6,  1899. 

(VII)  Capt.  Charles  P.  Seabdet,  son  of 
Capt.  William  and  Ehoda  (Woodman)  Sea- 
bury, was  born  Aug.  16,  1820,  in  Tiverton,  and 
received  his  education  in  the  district  school  in 
the  town  of  Little  Compton.  He  lived  on  the 
farm  until  thirteen  years  old,  when  he  came 
to  New  Bedford,  and  was  employed  in  the  store 
for  0.  &  E.  W.  Seabury,  remaining  two  years. 
Having  a  strong  desire  for  the  sea  he  shipped 
in  1835,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  as  a  cabin  boy  on 


the   whaling  ship   "Nile,"   Captain   Townsend, 
and   continued  in  the  whaling  business  for  a 
period   of  fourteen   years.      In   1849   he   com- 
manded the  ship  "America,"  which  sailed  for 
California  during  the  gold  fever  with  a  large 
number    of    passengers.      Eeturning    from    his 
trip  to  California  in  1853,  the  ship  was  fitted 
out  for  a  whaling  voyage,  Captain  Seabury  in 
command.      They  sailed  to  the  Arctic  ocean, 
and  the  following  year  the  ship  was  staved  by 
ice  near  the  Behring  straits,  and  the  captain 
and  crew  were  obliged  to  abandon  her  with  a 
loss  of  several  hundred  barrels  of  oil.     They 
were   taken   on   board   the   "Minerva    Smyth," 
Captain  Childs,  of  New  Bedford,  who  landed 
them  at  San  Francisco.    Captain  Seabury  then 
Joined  a  steamer  as  first  officer,  and  continued 
to  serve  in  that  capacity  on  different  steamers 
for  some  time.     He  then  took  command  of  a 
steamship  running  between  San  Francisco  and 
the   Isthmus,  continuing  thus  for  some  time. 
Returning    home,    he    became    commander    on 
one  of  the  Vanderbilt  line  of  steamers,  plying 
between    New  York  and   Aspinwall.     During 
the  Civil  war  he  had  command  of  several  steam 
transports.     Later  he   took   command   of   the 
steamer  "Arizona,"  plying  between  New  York, 
China  and  California,  taking  her  through  the 
Suez  canal,  in  December,  1870,  it  being  the 
first  American  steamship  to  pass  through  the 
canal.       Subsequently     he     commanded     the 
steamer  "Granada"  from   New  York  to   San 
Francisco  and  China,  taking  her  through  the 
straits  of  Magellan.      After    completing    this 
last  voyage  he  gave  up  the  sea,  and  was  for  a 
time  in  the  employ  of  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment in  the   custom  house   department   at 
New  Bedford,  serving  as  boarding  officer,  to 
fill   the   unexpired   term    of   Capt.    James   V. 
Cox.     On  account  of  his  health  he  resigned  the 
office  and  made  his  home  on  Fifth  street.  New 
Bedford,  where  he  died  Dec.  21,  1890.    He  was 
one  of  the  best  known  and  most  skilled  naviga- 
tors in  his  section  of  New  England,  and  was 
popular  with  all  who  knew  him.    Politically  he 
was  a  stanch  Republican.    His  remains  rest  in 
Rural  cemetery,  New  Bedford. 

Captain  Seabury  was  married  in  New  Bed- 
ford, April  15,  1847,  to  Sarah  Wilcox,  who  was 
born  at  Westport,  Mass.,  March  26,  1825, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Patty  (Brownell) 
Wilcox.  Mrs.  Seabury,  with  her  daughter  and 
son-in-law,  resides  on  Fifth  street.  New  Bed- 
ford. Captain  and  Mrs.  Seabury  had  children : 
Jason,  bom  March  2,  1855,  died  May  29,  1860; 
Charles  P.,  Jr.,  born  May  21,  1856,  died  June 

I,  1856;  Charles  P.,  Jr.   (2),  was  born  June 

II,  1857;  Annie,  born  Dec.  26,  1858,  married 


572 


SOUTHEASTEEN"  MASSACHUSETTS 


Dec.  31,  1900,  Frank  Wood,  a  well  known  cot- 
ton broker  of  New  Bedford;  and  Harry  Wil- 
lard,  born  April  28,  1863,  died  March  28, 
1868. 

(VIII)  Charles  P.  Seabury,  Jr.,  was  born 
in  New  Bedford  June  11,  1857,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  the  schools  there.  He  was  a  traveling 
salesman  for  the  Meriden  Britannia  Company, 
of  Meriden,  Conn.,  and  died  at  Dubuque,  Iowa, 
while  on  a  trip,  Feb.  22,  1896.  He  married 
Nov.  18,  1880,  Avis  J.  Dwelley,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Jerome  Dwelley,  of  Fall  Eiver.  They  had 
one  child,  Eichard,  born  Oct.  9,  1888,  who 
died  Dec.  5,  1890. 

CAPT.  JOSHUA  GAGE  BAKEE,  a  retired 
whaling  master,  who  died  Nov.  1,  1910,  at 
Padanaram,  in  the  town  of  Dartmouth,  Bristol 
Co.,  Mass.,  was  a  member  of  the  Baker  family 
which  has  been  identified  with  that  section  for 
the  past  hundred  years.  He  was  born  there, 
in  the  village  of  Bakersville,  South  Dartmouth, 
Oct.  31,  1845,  and  after  tliirty-two  years  on 
the  water  retired  to  the  neighborhood  where  he 
had  spent  his  early  life  to  enjoy  the  years  of 
his  retirement.  However,  retirement  did  not 
mean  inactivity,  for  he  devoted  much  of 
hie  time  to  the  public  service,  making  himself 
useful  to  the  town  in  many  capacities  and  giving 
the  benefit  of  his  time  and  efforts  to  his  fellow 
citizens.  His  work  was  highly  appreciated,  and 
no  man  in  the  community  had  a  better  record 
for  intelligent  citizenship  and  disinterested 
labors  in  behalf  of  the  town. 

The  Bakers  of  South  Dartmouth  trace  their 
lineage  back  to  Francis  Baker,  the  first  of  the 
line  in  New  England,  from  whom  we  give  the 
genealogical  record  in  chronological  ordor. 

(I)  Francis  Baker  was  born  in  England  in 
1611.  His  last  residence  in  his  native  land  was 
at  Great  St.  Albans,  Hertfordshire,  and  in 
1635  he  came  over  in  the  ship  "Planter,"  locat- 
ing at  Yarmouth,  Mass.  He  married  Isabel 
Tarning,  of  Yarmouth,  and  died  in  1696,  the 
last  of  the  first  comers.  His  children  were : 
Nathaniel,  John,  Samuel,  Daniel,  William, 
Thomas,  Elizabeth  (married  John  Chase)  and 
Hannah. 

(II)  Daniel  Baker,  son  of  Francis,  married 
May  27,  1674,  Elizabeth  Chase,  daughter  of 
William  Chase  (2),  the  latter  born  in  Yar- 
mouth, Mass.,  in  1622.  To  this  union  were 
born  the  following  children :  Daniel,  born  in 
1675;  Samuel,  .1676;  Elizabeth,  1678  (married 
in  1705  Nathan  Baker)  ;  Hannah  (married  in 
1714  Joseph  Nixon)  ;  Thankful ;  and  Tabitha. 

(III)  Samuel  Baker,  son  of  Daniel,  born  in 
1676,    married    Patience,    and    their    children 


were:  Shubal,  born  March  24,  1710;  Susannah, 
June  22,  1711;  Hezekiah,  Aug.  4,  1715; 
Tabitha,  March  8,  1718;  Desire,  Feb.  5,  1720; 
Elizabeth,  Sept.  9,  1725;  and  Samuel,  June  4, 
1732. 

(IV)  Shubal  Baker,  son  of  Samuel,  born 
March  24,  1710,  married  in  1733,Lydia  Stuart. 
Their  children  were:  Sylvanus,  born  March 
10,  1734;  Azubah,  May  17,  1737;  Temperance, 
June  24,  1739;  Shubal,  Nov.  11,  1741;  Eliza- 
beth, Jan.  2,  1744;  Lydia,  Oct.  13,  1746;  Euth, 
June  25,  1749 ;  and  Patience,  July  19,  1752. 

(V)  Shubal  Baker  (2),  son  of  Shubal,  born 
Nov.  11,  1741,  married  Nov.  15,  1764,  Eebecca 
Chase,  bom  Aug.  24, 1747,  daughter  of  Eichard 
and  Thankful  Chase.  To  this  union  were  born : 
Hepsabcth  (or  Hepsibah),  born  Oct.  15,  1765, 
married  March  23,  1786,  Zenos  Chase; 
Archelus,  born  Nov.  26,  1767,  married  in  1789 
Mehitable  Chase;  Eebecca,  born  Dec.  19,  1770, 
married  Dec.  11,  1788,  David  Howes;  Shubal, 
born  July  10,  1772,  married  Jan.  10,  1793, 
Mercy  Smalley;  Ezra,  born  Sept.  5,  1775,  is 
mentioned  below;  Michael,  born  Nov.  6,  1776, 
died  April  7,  1796;  Ensign,  born  July  3,  1779, 
married  Dec.  27,  1800,  Sally  Nickerson; 
Temperance,  born  Oct.  15,  1781,  married  Dec. 
4,  1800,  Henry  Kelly;  Abigail,  born  Nov.  22, 
1783,  married  April  20,  1807,  Edward  Sears; 
Sylvanus,  born  Aug.  24,  1786,  married  March 
1,  1800,  Bethiah  Crowell;  and  Halsey,  bom 
Feb.  27,  1789,  married  Nov.  28,  1811,  Mercy 
Allen. 

(VI)  Ezra  Baker,  son  of  Shubal  (2),  born 
Sept.  5,  1775,  in  tlie  town  of  Harwich,  Barn- 
stable Co.,  Mass.,  was  one  of  the  six  Baker 
brothers  who  in  1806  came  to  Bristol  county 
and  settled  on  a  tract  of  land  which  he  cul- 
tivated during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He 
died  there  March  25,  1842,  in  his  sixty-seventh 
year.  He  is  buried  in  South  Dartmouth.  Mr. 
Baker  was  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church  and 
respected  as  a  good  Christian  man.  On  March 
13,  1795,  he  married  Susan  Gage,  who  was 
born  July  8,  1779,  at  Harwich,  Mass.,  and 
died  July  7,  1866,  at  her  home  in  Bakersville, 
South  Dartmouth.  She  was  laid  to  rest  beside 
her  husband  in  the  cemetery  in  South  Dart- 
mouth. Their  children  were  as  follows:  David 
Gage,  born  Nov.  12,  1795,  died  Sept.  25,  1820, 
of  yellow  fever,  while  on  a  voyage  from  Ha- 
vana, Cuba;  Michael  was  born  Jan.  1,  1797; 
Susanna,  born  June  28,  1800,  married  (first) 
Eussell  Crapo  and  (second)  Wanton  Westgate, 
and  died  July  3,  1873 ;  Ezra,  born  Jan.  7,  1802, 
died  Sept.  22,  1820,  of  yellow  fever,  while  on 
the  passage  from  Havana,  Cuba;  Joshua  Gage, 
born  Jan.  1,  1804,  died  Sept.  16,  1804;  Lovey, 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


573 


born  Sept.  17,  1806,  married  Holder  W. 
Brownell;  Eliza,  born  June  16,  1809,  married 
Thomas  Lapham,  and  died  Jan.  6,  1903; 
Hepsibeth  Gage,  born  March  25,  1813,  married 
William  E.  Borden,  and  died  Oct.  16,  1876; 
Joshua  Gage  was  born  Oct.  5,  1814;  Sylvia 
Davoll,  born  April  20,  1817,  married  Christ- 
opher Booth ;  Jane  Crocker,  born  July  22, 1830, 
married  Ephraim  C.  Ellis,  of  Harwich,  Mass., 
and  died  May  4,  1896  (Mr.  ElUs  died  in  1910). 

(VII)  Joshua  Gage  Baker,  son  of  Ezra,  was 
born  Oct.  5,  1814,  at  Bakersville,  South  Dart- 
mouth, and  grew  up  to  farm  life,  working  on 
the  homestead  from  boyhood.  He  learned  the 
butcher's  trade,  at  which  he  was  engaged  for 
some  time,  also  continuing  to  carry  on  the 
farm,  and  in  1849,  at  the  height  of  the  gold 
excitement,  he  went  overland  to  California, 
where  he  spent  two  years  prospecting  and  min- 
ing. After  his  return  to  the  East  he  followed 
a  seafaring  life  for  about  twenty  years,  engag- 
ing in  the  coast  trade  between  New  Bedford 
and  nearby  ports,  going  to  Philadelphia  for 
coal,  and  in  the  winter  months  running  to  the 
West  Indies.  He  was  master  of  the  schooner 
"Adelaide"  and  of  the  "Henrietta,"  and  of  the 
brig  "Ormers,"  of  which  he  was  part  owner. 
Eetiring  in  1870,  Mr.  Baker  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  days  at  the  homestead  in  Bakers- 
ville, where  he  died  Oct.  6,  1883,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-nine  years.  Mr.  Baker  was  a  Eepub- 
lican  in  political  sentiment. 

On  April  14,  1834,  Joshua  Gage  Baker  mar- 
ried Mary  Briggs,  who  was  born  May  29,  1816, 
daughter  of  Elihu  and  Polly  (Kelley)  Briggs, 
and  died  in  1841.  To  this  union  were  born 
three  childreq:  A  daughter  that  died  in  in- 
fancy; Ethelenda  Gage,  born  in  February, 
1836,  widow  of  John  Castino,  residing  in  New 
Bedford;  and  Hepsebath,  who  died  young. 
On  Jan.  15,  1842,  Mr.  Baker  married  (second) 
Susan  Kelley  Briggs,  who  was  born  Sept.  26, 
1826,  and  was  a  sister  of  his  first  wife ;  she 
died  Jan.  9,  1860,  and  is  buried  in  South  Dart- 
mouth. There  were  five  children  by  the  sec- 
ond marriage,  namely:  Mary,  born  March  12, 
1843,  who  married  Edward  F.  Potter,  and  died 
Jan.  31,  1882;  Joshua  Gage,  born  Oct.  31, 
1845;  Adelaide,  born  April  11,  1848,  who  mar- 
ried (first)  Giles  Bennett,  of  Bakersville,  and 
(second)  Charles  Sanford,  of  New  Bedford 
(both  are  now  deceased,  and  she  resides  in  New 
Bedford) ;  Amy,  born  Aug.  13,  1853,  who  died 
in  1861 ;  and  Eva  Gage,  born  March  15,  1855, 
who  married  Stephen  S.  Davis,  chief  engineer 
in  the  United  States  lighthouse  service,  and  re- 
sides at  Fairhaven. 

(VIII)  Joshua    Gage    Baker    (2),    son    of 


Joshua  Gage,  received  his  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  in  his  native  village  and  worked 
at  home  until  he  was  sixteen  years  old.  He 
then  made  choice  of  a  seafaring  life,  shipping 
on  the  whaler  "Sea  Breeze,"  as  a  common 
sailor,  under  Capt.  William  Weeks.  His  first 
voyage  was  on  the  Atlantic;  Ins  second  as  boat 
steerer;  third  as  second  mate  on  the  whaling 
bark  "Matilda  Sears,"  of  Dartmouth,  owned  by 
William  Potter  and  commanded  by  William 
Gifford;  his  fourth  in  the  same  ship  as  first 
officer  under  Capt.  Gilbert  Borden.  Upon 
completing  that  voyage  he  was  made  master  of 
the  ship  "Reindeer,"  built  by  W.  C.  N.  Swift, 
of  New  Bedford,  which  he  took  out  June  12, 
1877,  continuing  in  command  of  her  for  fifteen 
years.  He  sailed  her  in  the  southern  Pacific 
waters  and  part  of  the  time  from  the  port  of 
San  Francisco  to  the  Arctic  ocean.  The  owners 
sold  this  vessel  in  1892  and  Captain  Baker  be- 
came master  of  the  whaling  steamer  "Beluga," 
owned  by  the  Pacific  Whaling  Steamship  Com- 
pany, in  which  he  made  one  voyage,  during 
which  eighteen  whales  were  captured.  Eeturn- 
ing  to  San  Francisco — from  which  port  he  had 
sailed  for  ten  years — at  the  close  of  that  trip, 
he  gave  up  the  water  and  came  back  to  his 
native  place,  locating  in  Padanaram,  where  he 
made  his  home  during  the  remainder  of  his 
life. 

Upon  his  return  to  his  early  home  Captain 
Baker  at  once  interested  himself  in  local  affairs, 
in  which  he  took  a  most  active  part,  filling  the 
offices  of  selectman,  overseer  of  the  poor,  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  health,  constable  and  truant 
officer,  holding  the  latter  position  three  years. 
He  was  a  stanch  Eepublican  in  political  mat- 
ters. Captain  Baker  proved  his  high  char- 
acter in  everything  he  undertook,  and  was 
ever  faithful  and  honorable  in  the  discharge 
of  the  duties  assigned  him.  He  was  a  member 
of  Star  in  the  East  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
of  the  Dartmouth  Historical  Society,  of  which 
Mrs.  Baker  is  a  member. 

On  June  30,  1873,  Captain  Baker  married 
Susan  M.  Davis,  daughter  of  Charles  A.  and 
Susan  M.  (Maxfield)  Davis.  They  had  three 
children :  Edward  Davis,  who  is  in  the  employ 
of  the  mercantile  firm  of  Cummings  &  Cum- 
mings,  of  New  Bedford,  married  Sarah  E. 
Shaw,  of  Dartmouth,  Mass.,  and  has  had  three 
children,  Edward  D.  (died  in  infancy),  a  son 
that  died  in  infancy  and  Marion  Shaw; 
Charles  A.  died  unmarried  June  18,  1910; 
Joshua  Gage,  Jr.,  who  is  engaged  as  a  book- 
keeper at  New  Bedford,  married  Elsie  Florence 
Luce  and  has  two  children,  Ellsworth  D.  and 
Gladys  A. 


574 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


WARNER  (Taunton  family).  Through 
much  of  the  century  but  recently  closed  and  on 
into  this  one,  New  Bedford  and  Taunton,  re- 
spectively, have  been  the  home  of  a  branch  of 
the  New  England  Warners.  Reference  is  made 
to  the  families  of  the  late  Joseph  B.  and  the 
present  Hon.  Richard  Everett  Warner,  of  Taun- 
ton, the  latter  of  whom  has  for  some  twenty- 
five  years  been  identified  with  the  business  af- 
fairs and  actively  interested  in  the  growth  of 
his  adopted  city,  useful  in  its  citizenship,  and 
prominent  in  public  life;  while  the  former  was 
long  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  New 
Bedford. 

The  Warner  family  is  an  ancient  one  in  New 
England,  and  now  numerous  the  country  over. 
The  Warners  of  New  England  descend  largely 
from  Andrew,  William  and  John  Warner, 
"never  as  yet  connected  on  this  side  of  the  water, 
though  very  likely  all  of  one  family  in  England, 
in  times  remote,"  according  to  Wilbur  F.  War- 
ner, Esq.,  in  Stiles's  "Ancient  Wethersfield," 
but  recently  published.  Of  the  three  Andrew  was 
of  Cambridge  as  early  as  1632,  and  later  re- 
moved to  Hadley.  The  name  of  his  first  wife,  the 
.  mother  of  his  children,  is  unknown.  His  chil- 
dren settled  at  Hadley,  Mass.,  and  Middletown, 
Conn.  William  Warner  was  at  Ipswich  as  early 
as  1637.  And  John  Warner,  the  third  progenitor 
alluded  to  above,  settled  in  Farmington,  and  is 
the  ancestor  of  a  long  line  of  Warners,  who 
settled  in  Woodbury,  Waterbury  and  other 
neighboring  Connecticut  towns.  From  William 
Warner,  the  immigrant  and  the  Ipswich  settler, 
through  his  son  Daniel  Warner,  of  that  town, 
and  the  latter's  son,  Lieut,  and  Deacon  William 
Warner,  who  removed  to  Wethersfield  between 
1660  and  1665,  have  descended  about  all  of  the 
Warners  of  that  town.  Then  there  was  John 
Warner,  who  came  to  New  England  in  the  ship 
"Increase,"  in  1635,  embarking  at  London,  who 
is  of  record  at  Providence  as  early  as  1637,  and 
who  subsequently  was  of  Warwick.  His  name 
has  been  perpetuated  through  his  son  John  of 
Warwick,  and  the  latter's  sons,  John  and 
Ezekiel,  all  of  whom  were  prominent  men  in 
their  several  towns,  some  serving  often  as 
deputy.  Again,  many  of  the  prominent  South- 
ern Warners  are  of  the  blood  of  Col.  Augustus 
Warner,  who  settled  in  Virginia,  and  whose 
daughter  Mildred  became  the  wife  of  Lawrence 
Washington,  and  the  grandmother  of  President 
and  General  George  Washington. 

It  may  be  a  matter  of  interest  to  note  that 
from  the  New  England  Warners  came  the  dis- 
tinguished lawyer  and  jurist  of  Georgia — Hon. 
Hiram  Warner,  member  of  the  United  Stated 
Congress   and   Chief  Justice   of  the   Supreme 


Court  of  Georgia ;  a  man  of  Massachusetts  birth 
as  was  also  the  late  Charles  Dudley  Warner, 
the  author.  From  the  Farmington  settler,  John 
Warner,  sprang  that  gallant  soldier  of  Revo- 
lutionary fame,  Col.  Seth  Warner,  who  as  sec- 
ond in  command  assisted  in  the  capture  of 
Ticonderoga,  and  on  the  following  day  took 
the  important  post  of  Crown  Point  with  its 
garrison  and  113  cannon.  For  this  he  was 
given  by  Congress  in  July,  1775,  a  colonel's 
commission,  and  afterward  he  was  a  conspicuous 
figure  throughout  the  war,  remaining  with  the 
army  until  1782  when  his  health  gave  way  and 
he  returned  with  his  family  to  the  town  of 
Roxbury. 

As  indicated  New  Bedford,  this  Common- 
wealth, was  the  home  of  the  immediate  fore- 
fathers of  the  present  head  of  the  Taunton 
Warner  family — Hon.  Richard  Everett  Warner, 
member  of  the  former  firm  of  White,  Warner 
&  Co.,  and  now  treasurer  of  its  successor,  the 
White- Warner  Company,  one  of  the  extensive 
manufacturing  concerns  of  Taunton. 

Joseph  B.  Warner,  father  of  Richard  Everett 
Warner,  was  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Nabby  (But- 
terick)  Warner,  of  Acton.  He  and  his  associate 
John  H.  Denison  were  the  founders  in  1858 
of  the  flouring  and  feed  mills  at  New  Bed- 
ford, Mass.,  of  the  Denison,  Plummer  Com- 
pany, and  for  years  Mr.  Warner  was  identified 
with  them  through  their  several  changes  in 
ownership  and  style  of  firm ;  and  as  well  was 
one  of  New  Bedford's  enterprising  and  pro- 
gressive citizens,  alive  to  its  advancement  and 
the  welfare  of  its  people.  After  a  residence  of 
a  number  of  years  in  New  Bedford  Mr.  Warner 
on  April  26,  1863,  moved  to  North  Dighton, 
where  he  bought  a  farm  and  where  many  years 
of  an  active  life  were  spent.  During  the  earlier 
years  of  the  Civil  war.  and  while  a  resident  of 
New  Bedford,  not  being  able  to  enli«t  on  ac- 
coiint  of  a  bad  knee,  he  gave  expression  to  his 
patriotism  by  furnishing  to  the  government  six 
recruits  all  fully  equipped  for  service.  Mr. 
Joseph  B.  Warner  after  locating  in  North 
Dighton  became  active  in  public  affairs  of  the 
town,  being  treasurer  and  selectman  for  some 
years.  In  his  earlier  political  life  he  was  a 
Republican,  but  on  the  election  of  President 
Cleveland  he  became  a  Cleveland  Democrat,  as 
he  was  opposed  in  every  way  to  the  principles 
and  policies  of  James  G.  Blaine.  He  was  treas- 
urer of  the  Dighton  Stove  Lining  Company  of 
Dighton.  Mr.  Warner  married  Lucy  E.  Pierce, 
daughter  of  Simeon  and  Lucy  (Haskins) 
Pierce,  and  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  early 
comers  to  New  England.  They  had  two  chil- 
dren :     Lucy  Butterick ;  and  Richard  Everett, 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


575 


born  Oct.  6,  1861.  Joseph  B.  Warner  died  at 
his  home  in  Taunton  in  1892.  ' 

Richard  Everett  Warner  was  born  Oct.  6, 
1861,  in  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  and  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Dighton  and 
in  the  Bristol  Academy,  located  in  that  same 
city.  It  having  been  determined  that  he  learn 
a  trade,  young  Warner  in  1876  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Dighton  Stove  Lining  Company, 
for  the  purpose  of  learning  the  business  of  the 
concern.  With  these  men  he  continued  until 
1881,  when  for  approximately  a  year  he  was 
employed  in  the  capacity  of  general  manager 
of  the  sales  department  of  the  Somerset  Pottery 
Company's  Providence  branch,  where  he  was 
located  for  a  time.  Leaving  this  establishment 
in  July,  1883,  he  seemingly  struck  the  position 
that  led  to  his  rise  and  success  in  the  business 
world,  entering  as  he  did  this,  the  concern 
with  which  he  has  ever  since  been  identified — 
long  as  a  partner,  stockholder  and  officer.  His 
personal  equipment,  as  he  said,  for  this  under- 
taking, consisted  of  a  good  wife,  good  supply  of 
wearing  apparel  and  $2,700.  On  his  entering 
the  business  it  was  that  of  White,  Walker  &  Co., 
which  in  1886  became  White,  Warner  &  Co., 
he  at  that  time  acquiring  the  interest  of  Mr. 
Walker.  The  business  continued  under  that 
firm  style  until  it  was  incorporated  in  February, 
1897,  as  The  White- Warner  Company,  its  pres- 
ent style,  and  of  which  Mr.  Warner  has  been 
treasurer  since  the  incorporation.  The  business 
of  the  company  is  the  manufacture  of  stoves, 
ranges  and  furnaces.  Mr.  White  died  in  1903, 
and  Mr.  Howard  A.  Tinkham  became  president 
and  Mr.  Henry  E.  Wilbur  secretary.  Mr. 
Warner  has  been  closely  identified  with  this 
company  since  1882,  from  that  time  up  to  1886 
doing  any  and  all  kinds  of  work  necessary  to 
the  success  of  a  small  struggling  manufacturing 
concern;  he  then  for  seventeen  years  from  that 
time  on  acted  as  its  salesman  on  the  road,  and 
also  assumed  the  responsibility  of  disposing  of 
the  entire  product,  while  later  as  its  treasurer 
and  during  the  illness  and  after  the  death  of 
his  partner,  Mr.  White,  he  had  the  entire  re- 
sponsibility of  the  conduct  of  the  business.  It 
can  truly  be  said  of  him  that  he  created  the 
major  part  of  that  now  large  and  important 
industry.  He  has  been  instrumental  in  its 
development  from  a  small  plant  employing 
twelve  men  to  one  now  employing  between  360 
and  370 ;  from  a  plant  established  upon  a  basis 
of  $280,000  per  annum  before  the  fire  to  one 
of  over  $700,000  with  its  increased  equipment. 

Mr.  Warner  has  ever  taken  an  intelligent  and 
active  interest  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  Taunton,  devoting  not  a  little  of 


his  time  to  the  public  affairs  of  the  city.  He 
had  so  successfully  managed  his  own  business 
affairs  that  his  fellow-citizens  became  impressed 
with  his  fitness  for  public  office,  and  they  elected 
him  to  the  board  of  aldermen,  of  which  he  was 
a  good  working  member  in  1893  and  1894, 
serving  as  chairman  of  the  board  in  the  year 
last  named.  In  1894  he  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Russell  a  member  of  the  State  Board 
of  Arbitration  and  Conciliation  (now  Con- 
ciliation and  Arbitration),  a  position  he  held 
for  one  and  a  half  years  when  he  resigned  on 
account  of  the  press  of  his  own  business.  In 
1895  he  served  as  one  of  the  License  commis- 
sioners. He  was  mayor  of  the  city  in  1902, 
1903  and  1904,  giving  to  the  citizens  of  Taun- 
ton an  administration  characterized  by  strong 
business  methods,  and  a  consequent  material 
reduction  in  their  tax  rate.  In  1908  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  board  of  county  com- 
missioners of  Bristol  county,  and  he  was 
reelected  in  1911. 

Mr.  Warner  is  a  member  of  King  David 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.;  St.  Mark's  Chapter, 
R.  A.  M.;  Sutton  Commandery,  K.  T.,  of  New 
Bedford;  Good  Samaritan  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F. ; 
and  Taunton  Lodge,  KJnights  of  Pythias. 

In  April,  1881,  Mr.  Warner  was  married  to 
Ida  E.,  daughter  of  Horatio  L.  and  Mary  E. 
(Mason)  Briggs,  of  Dighton.  Three  children 
have  blessed  this  marriage :  Joseph  E.,  a 
graduate  of  Harvard  Law  School  and  now  an 
attorney  at  Taunton;  Ella  E.,  who  married 
Eugene  H.  Brownell  and  resides  in  Taunton 
(she  has  two  children,  Evelyn  and  Eugenia), 
and  Grace  M.  Mrs.  Warner  died  in  February, 
1893,  and  Mr.  Warner  married  (second)  in 
October,  1895,  Mrs.  Nettie  M.  (Lewis)  Peirce, 
of  New  Bedford,  daughter  of  Elijah  R.  and 
Mary  A.  (Simmons)  Lewis,  and  widow  of 
Frank  E.  Peirce. 

LORING  W.  PUFFER.  While  the  family 
of  Puffer  is  not  a  Bridgewater  one  in  point  of 
antiquity,  it  is  one  here  in  what  was  long  the 
North  parish  (North  Bridgewater,  and  now 
Brockton)  of  some  fifty  and  more  years'  stand- 
ing, a  period  covering  the  birth  and  growth  of 
the  great  industrial  center  and  city  it  has  be- 
come, and  in  the  life  of  which  its  now  repre- 
sentative head — the  venerable  Dr.  Loring  Wil- 
liam Puffer,  surgeon  dentist,  underwriter,  edi- 
tor and  writer — has  been  most  active  and  use- 
ful, ever  alert  in  intelligent  effort  in  the  varied 
lines  that  have  brought  about  the  wonderful 
growth  of  the  shoe  city. 

Dr.  Puffer,  the  head  of  this  Brockton  fam- 
ily, and  the  recognized  local  historian  of  the 


576 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


town  and  city,  is,  however,  representative  of 
Bridgewater  stock,  descending  in  maternal  line 
from  one  of  the  original  proprietors  and  num- 
bering among  his  forbears  and  family  connec- 
tions some  of  the  ancient  and  honored  names  in 
the  Commonwealth's  history.  In  the  paternal 
line  he  is  remotely  connected  with  that  illustrious 
son  of  Massachusetts,  Charles  Sumner.  Through 
the  Southworths  he  is  of  royal  descent.  He 
numbers  among  his  ancestors  Eev.  Thomas  Car- 
ter, who  was  bred  in  St.  John's  College,  Cam- 
bridge, England,  taking  his  degrees  in  1629 
and  1633;  came  to  New  England  in  1635  in 
the  "Planter,"  was  for  a  time  at  Watertown 
and  Dedham,  and  was  ordained  in  1643  the 
first  minister  at  Woburn.  Another  of  his  for- 
bears was  Maj.  General  Humphrey  Atherton, 
of  Dorchester,  1636,  who  perhaps  was  from 
Preston  in  Lancashire,  and  here  became  cap- 
tain of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery 
Company,  served  many  years  in  civic  oflScial 
life  and  succeeded  Sedgwick  as  major  general 
of  the  Colonial  forces.  Still  other  of  his  early 
forbears  were  Eev.  James  Keith,  the  Scotch 
divine  who  was  educated  at  Aberdeen  and  on 
coming  to  New  England,  in  1662,  was  two 
years  later  ordained  the  first  minister  of  Bridge- 
water;  and  Judge  Joseph  Wilder,  long  chief 
justice  of  the  court  of  Common  Pleas,  a  man  of 
great  gifts. 

On  Feb.  24,  1640,  the  town  of  Boston 
granted  to  George  Poffer  land  for  five  heads, 
that  is  twenty  acres  at  Mount  Wollaston,  after- 
ward Braintree,  and  still  later  Quincy.  Of 
him  nothing  more  is  known,  but  the  family  was 
continued  under  tlie  name  of  Puffer  by  two 
persons,  who  may  confidently  be  called  his  sons ; 
and  the  Widow  Puffer,  who  died  at  Braintree, 
Feb.  13,  1677,  was  undoubtedly  his  relict. 
Mary  Puffer,  "an  aged  woman,"  who  died  at 
the  same  place  July  23,  1700,  is  perhaps,  more 
likely  to  have  been  his  daughter  than  the 
widow  of  his  eldest  spn.  Of  the  two  probable 
sons  of  George  Poffer,  James,  born  about  1684, 
married  at  Braintree  Feb.  14,  1656,  Mary  Lud- 
den,  remained. on  the  paternal  homestead,  and 
had  children :  Ejchard,  Martha,  Mary,  James, 
Euth,  Eachel  and  Jabez.  Mr.  Poffer  lived  at 
Braintree  and  there  died  July  25,  1692.  The 
other  son  of  George,  Mathias  Puffer,  married 
at  Braintree  May  12,  1662,  Enchcl  Farnsworth, 
and  their  children  were :  Joseph,  John,  James, 
Jonathan  and  Esther  (who  married  William 
Sumner,  of  Milton).  After  the  death  of  the 
mother,  who  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  her 
blood  being  the  first  shed  in  the  Colony,  the 
father  married  (second)  Feb.  11,  1677,  Abigail, 
daughter  of  Eichard  Everett,  of  Dedham,  and 


had  children,  Benjamin,  Eleazer  and  Abigail. 
After  the  death  of  his  second  wife  Mr.  Puffer 
married  (third)  May  14,  1697,  Mary  Crehore, 
probably  Widow  Teague,  of  Milton.  Mr.  Puffer 
was  for  a  time  at  Mendon,  going  there  as  one 
of  the  first  promoters  and  settlers.  His  wife 
and  one  son,  however,  being  slain  in  the  attack 
on  the  town  by  the  Indians,  July  14,  1675,  he 
withdrew  to  his  native  place,  but  finally  re- 
moved to  Dorchester,  and  likely  to  that  part 
which  later  became  Stoughton.  He  held  sev- 
eral offices  in  Dorchester,  lived  to  advanced  age 
and  distributed  among  his  children  lands  in 
Dorchester,  Milton  and  Dedham,  near  Wren- 
tham.  It  was  through  Mathias  that  descended 
such  distinguished  men  as  Charles  Sumner, 
William  S.  Appleton  and  Charles  Endicott. 

From  the  foregoing  source  came  the  Puffers 
of  Stoughton,  which  town  was  the  birthplace 
of  Dr.  Loring  W.  Puffer,  of  Brockton,  he  being 
the  son  of  Loring  Puffer  and  grandson  of 
Nathan  Puffer,  the  latter  of  whom  was  a  sol- 
dier under  General  Scott,  serving  with  him  in 
all  of  the  battles  of  the  frontier,  1812-15.  Dr. 
Puffers  lineage  from  George  Poffer  is  through 
(II)  James  and  Mary  (Ludden)  Puffer;  (III) 
Jabez  and  Mary  (Glazier)  Puffer;  (IV)  Sam- 
uel and  Dorothy  (Haynes)  Puffer;  (V)  Nathan 
and  Katy  (Clapp)  Puffer;  (VI)  Nathan  and 
Abigail  (Joslyn)  Puffer;  and  (VII)  Loring 
and  Lucy  II.    (Southworth)   Puffer. 

In  the  maternal  line  Dr.  Puffer's  immediate 
ancestors  were  of  Stoughton  residence,  and  his 
great-grandfather,  Capt.  Jedidiah  Southworth, 
an  officer  who  saw  much  active  service  in  the 
Eevolution,  being  captain  at  South  Boston 
Point  Fort,  was  in  direct  line  from  Constant 
Southworth  (who  was  the  brother  of  Thomas, 
and  son  of  Sir  Edward  Southworth,  of  Eng- 
land, who  died  at  Leyden),  who  was  born  in 
1615,  in  England,  and  came  to  New  England 
in  1628;  was  an  early  settler  in  Duxbury,  where 
he  died  in  1679.  He  served  in  the  Pequot  war 
in  1637,  was  later  ensign  and  lieutenant  in  the 
Duxbury  company;  was  for  twenty-two  years 
from  1647  deputy  to  the  General  Court  at 
Plymouth;  was  treasurer  of  Plymouth  Colony 
for  sixteen  years;  was  member  of  the  council 
of  war,  1658 ;  was  commissioner  for  the  United 
Colonies,  1668;  commissary  general  during 
King  Philip's  war,  etc. 

As  the  history  of  this  Plymouth  Southworth 
family  goes,  Edward  Southworth,  of  Duke 
Place,  London,  1595,  was  early  at  Leyden,  Hol- 
land, where  lie  died.  He  had  married  in  1613 
Alice,  daughter  of  Alexander  Carpenter,  of 
Wrington  (?),  Somersetshire.  Edward  died  in 
1620,  leaving  sons  Constant  and  Thomas.   The 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


577 


Avidow  Alice  came  to  Plymouth  in  the  "Ann" 
in  July,  1683,  and  on  Aug.  14th  of  that  year 
married  Gov.  William  Bradford,  of  Plymouth. 
The  sons,  Constant  and  Thomas  Southworth, 
came  to  New  England  in  1628  at  Governor 
Bradford's  request.  SufBce  it  to  say  that  the 
lineage  of  Edward  Southworth  has  been  traced 
back  to  the  Saxon  kings  of  England  and  their 
ancestors,  Cerdic  and  Odin. 

Constant  Southworth  was  one  of  the  original 
proprietors  of  Bridgewater,  the  first  interior 
settlement  of  the  Old  Colony,  he  being  one  of 
the  three  who  purchased  the  land  from  the  In- 
dians. He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Collier,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Duxbury, 
and  it  is  said  at  that  time  the  richest  man  in 
Plymouth  Colony.  From  one  of  their  descend- 
ants, Edward  Southworth,  who  married  in  1711 
Bridget  Bosworth,  Dr.  Puffer's  descent  is 
through  Constant  Southworth  (2)  and  his  wife 
Martha  (Keith) ;  Capt.  Jedidiah  Southworth 
and  his  wife  Mary  (Atherton),  of  Stoughton; 
Jedidiah  Southworth  (2)  and  his  wife  Sally 
(Hewett) ;  and  Lucy  Hewett  (Southworth) 
Puffer,  wife  of  Loring  Puffer,  of  Dorchester. 

Loring  William  Puffer,  D.  D.  S.,  son  of  Lor- 
ing and  Lucy  Hewett  (Southworth)  Puffer, 
was  bom  Sept.  17,  1828,  in  Stoughton,  Mass. 
His  general  education  was  acquired  in  com- 
mon and  private  schools,  which  he  attended  un- 
til he  reached  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  and 
he  graduated  from  the  Boston  Dental  College 
March  17,  1870.  From  eighteen  to  twenty- 
five  years  of  age  he  was  engaged  in  mechani- 
cal work  and  the  manufacturing  of  pegging 
awls,  which  failing  health  obliged  him  to  re- 
linquish. The  three  years  following  were  de- 
voted to  the  study  of  medicine  and  dentistry. 
He  began  the  practice  of  dentistry  in  1854, 
and  for  nearly  fifty-five  years  followed  the  pro- 
fession, actively,  from  1856  established  in 
North  Bridgewater,  which  afterward  became 
Brockton.  A  few  years  after  his  removal  to 
North  Bridgewater  he  became  connected  with 
fire  insurance  business  (1858),  since  which 
time  he  has  represented  a  number  of  the  old- 
line  companies  of  England  and  America.  This 
business  in  connection  with  real  estate  in  time 
almost  entirely  displaced  his  profession.  Dr. 
Puffer  is  a  great  reader,  and  for  over  sixty 
years  has  devoted  an  average  of  five  hours  in 
each  twenty-four  to  reading. 

Quite  early  in  life  Dr.  Puffer  became  a 
copious  correspondent  for  various  newspapers, 
and  later  had  experience  in  the  editorial  chair, 
being  editor  of  the  Brockton  Advance  for  one 
year,  and  editor  of  the  Brockton  Eagle  during 

37 


the  years  1884  and  1885.  He  has  done  other 
literary  work,  especially  in  historical  and  bio- 
graphical lines,  which  has  widened  his  reputa- 
tion. In  1871-72  he  was  adjunct  professor  of 
operative  and  clinical  dentistry  in  the  Boston 
Dental  College,  and  professor  in  the  institute 
of  dentistry  and  dental  therapeutics  in  1872- 
73.  Previous  to  1880  he  had  been  secretary, 
treasurer  and  president  of  the  Old  Colony  Den- 
tal Association  and  was  a  frequent  essayist  at 
its  meetings.  He  has  at  two  periods  during  his 
residence  in  North  Bridgewater,  or  Bfockton, 
been  a  member  of  the  school  committee  (1875- 
1885)  ;  and  for  over  a  third  of  a  century  he  has 
been  one  ef  the  trustees  of  the  public  library 
(of  which  he  is  known  as  the  father),  having 
served  as  president  of  the  board;  was  one  of  a 
number  of  citizens  who  originally  purchased  the 
library,  and  some  years  later  gave  it  to  the  town. 
He  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  1855, 
and  is  now  holding  a  commission;  in  1883  he 
was  appointed  a  notary  public,  and  also  holds 
a  commission  to  perform  marriages  in  Brock- 
ton. For  several  years  he  has  been  a  trustee  of 
the  Brockton  Savings  Bank. 

Soon  after  attaining  his  majority  Dr.  Puffer 
became  interested  in  politics,  and  his  interest 
has  never  flagged.  Originally  an  Antislavery 
man,  he  was  among  the  first  to  help  form  and 
sustain  the  Eepublican  party,  and  has  been 
steadfastly  devoted  to  its  cause.  Outspoken  and 
frank  with  tongue  and  pen,  he  is  counted  one 
of  the  most  efficient,  honorable  and  successful 
political  workers  in  Massachusetts.  He  has 
been  on  the  Republican  city  committee  of 
Brockton  for  many  years,  and  has  also  served 
as  chairman  of  the  same.  In  1856  he  became 
an  active  member  of  the  Plymouth  County 
Agricultural  Society;  was  a  trustee  for  many 
years,  and  has  been  vice  president.  In  1860 
Dr.  Puffer  built  the  first  greenhouse  ever  con- 
structed in  North  Bridgewater;  and  from  that 
date  to  the  present  he  has  been  an  ardent  hor- 
ticulturist, florist  and  frequent,  contributor  to 
agricultural,  horticultural  and  floricultural 
publications.  Dr.  Puffer  was  one  of  the  most 
active  originators  of  the  Brockton  Agricultural 
Society  founded  in  1874,  which  was  a  success 
from  the  start.  Its  opening  exhibition,  held  in 
a  tent  for  ten  days,  received  an  income  of 
$7,400;  and  to-day  (1910)  its  annual  income 
has  exceeded  $100,000.  The  Doctor  is  also  a 
member  of  the  New  England  Historic  Genea- 
logical Society;  of  the  Natural  History  Society 
of  Boston ;  of  the  Old  Bridgewater  Historical 
Society,  of  which  he  has  served  as  president; 
of  the  Stoughton  Historical  Society,  of  which 
he  is  a  trustee;  of  the  Old  Colony  Historical 


578 


SOUTHBASTEKN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Society  (honorary  member),  of  Taunton;  and 
of  the  Massachusetts  and  Suburban  Press  Asso- 
ciation. He  is  a  charter  member  of  Paul 
Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of  Satucket 
Chapter,  E.  A.  M.,  of  Brockton. 

On  Sept.  18,  1856,  Dr.  Puffer  was  married 
to  Martha  Mary  Crane  Worcester,  niece  and 
adopted  daughter  of  Hon.  Samuel  Thomas  and 
Mary  Fenno  Crane  (Wales)  Worcester,  of  Nor- 
walk,  Ohio.  They  have  had  four  children,  all 
born  in  North  Bridgewater,  as  follows:  Loring 
Worce^er,  born  Feb.  7,  1857,  died  July  29, 
1858;  Mary  Crane,  born  April  11,  1859,  is  at 
home,  unmarried;  William  Loring,  born  May 
27,  1863,  married  Dec.  5,  1888,  Eliza  Cook 
Leonard,  of  Brockton,  daughter  of  Cyrus  and 
Mary  (Isaacs)  Leonard,  and  has  two  daugh- 
ters, Alice  Louise  and  Catherine;  and  Clarence 
Carter,  born  June  29,  1870,  married  June  19, 
1901,  Minnie  Jean  Rollins,  of  Jay,  Maine, 
daughter  of  William  and  Elmira  J.  (Mace) 
Eollina. 

AUGUSTUS  TURNER  JONES  (deceased) 
was  born  in  North  Bridgewater  (now  Brock- 
ton) May  21,  1832,  and  there — except  for  the 
time  spent  elsewhere  in  study  or  travel — passed 
his  entire  life.  As  editor  for  many  years  of  a 
paper  which  under  his  management  became  one 
of  the  most  influential  in  this  section,  and  as 
a  man  of  public  spirit  whose  interest  in  the 
community  led  him  into  active  participation 
in  its  administration,  he  was  influential  in 
shaping  the  policies  which  characterize  the  best 
features  of  the  government  of  Brockton.  He 
bore  an  honored  name,  and  his  ancestors  have 
been  noted  for  high  ideals  of  citizenship  in 
every  generation.  As  a  son  of  Capt.  Augustus 
Jones  and  grandson  of  Capt.  A^a  Jones  he 
counted  among  his  immediate  forefathers  men 
who  were  both  useful  and  active  in  local  affairs. 
Both  received  their  titles  for  service  in  the 
militia.  Capt.  Augustus  Jones  was  one  of  the 
honored  guests  at  the  inauguration  of  the  first 
municipal  government  of  Brockton,  at  which 
time  he  was  a  venerable  man.  A  glance  at  the 
records  of  the  old  North  parish  of  Bridgewater 
and  of  the  later  town  of  North  Bridgewater 
evidence  the  active  part  the  earlier  Joneses  took 
in  its  civil  and  political  life. 

On  the  maternal  side  Mr.  Jones  was 
descended  from  several  of  the  early  settlers  of 
this  section,  including  the  Pilgrim  John  Alden 
and  Priscilla  Mullins.  From  Lieut.  James 
Torrey  and  Thomas  Snell  the  lines  are  as  fol- 
lows: 

(I)  Lieut.  James  Torrey,  of  Seituate,  Massa- 
chusetts. 


(II)  Jonathan  Torrey,  of  Weymouth. 

(III)  Jonathan  Torrey  (2),  of  Weymouth. 

(IV)  David  Torrey,  of  Weymouth. 

(V)  Deacon  David  Torrey,  of  Abington. 
(VI')   Turner  Torrey  married   Sarah   Snell. 
(VII)  Almeda    Torrey    married    Augustus 

Jones. 


(I)  Thomas  Snell  settled  in  what  became 
West  Bridgewater  about  1665. 

(II)  Josiah  Snell  married  Dec.  21,  1699, 
Anna  Alden,  of  Duxbury,  daughter  of 
Zachariah  Alden. 

(III)  Zachariah  Snell  married  Abigail  Hay- 
ward. 

(IV)  Ischar  Snell,  the  next  in  line,  married 
Sarah,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Hayward. 

(V)  Sarah  Snell  married  in  1803  Turner 
Torrey. 


Returning  to  the  Joneses  of  Brockton,  this 
family  should  more  properly  be  designated  the 
Raynham-Brockton  family.  It  is  an  ancient 
one  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  the 
late  Augustus  Turner  Jones  being  a  descend- 
ant in  the  eighth  generation  from  Thomas 
Jones,  of  Hingham,  England,  who  came  to 
America  in  the  ship  "Confidence"  in  1638,  and 
settled  at  Taunton,  Mass.,  his  line  of  descent 
being  through  Joseph  (II)  ;  Nathan  (III)  ; 
Nehemiah  (IV);  Nathan  (V);  Capt.  Asa 
(VI);  and  Capt.  Augustus   (VII). 

The  original  Taunton  included  Raynham  and 
what  became  five  other  towns,  and  was  settled 
in  1638  or  1639  by  emigrants  principally  from 
Taunton  in  England.  Settlements  were  made 
in  Raynham  in  1652  by  James  Leonard,  Henry 
Leonard  and  Ralph  Russell,  who  came  from 
Wales  and  first  settled  in  Braintree.  The  act 
setting  off  Raynham  from  Taunton  as  a  distinct 
subdivision  or  town  bears  date  of  April,  1731. 
At  the  time  it  embraced  thirty  families.  The 
first  name  on  the  petition  for  such  act  was  that 
of  Abraham  Jones,  who  was  the  principal  agent 
in  bringing  the  separation  about. 

From  the  late  Samuel  Jones  of  Raynham, 
who  either  himself  or  the  immediate  family 
traced  out  his  line  from  Joseph  Jones,  we  have 
it  that  the  latter  settled  in  that  part  of  Taun- 
ton which  later  became  the  town  of  Raynliam; 
that  he  died  in  1726,  aged  sixty-seven  years; 
that  he  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Jones  of  Hingham, 
England,  who  came  to  New  England  in  1638 
in  the  ship  "Confidence,"  etc.  The  children 
of  Joseph  Jones  of  Raynham,  according  to  the 
Probate  records  as  stated  by  the  late  Samuel 


SOUTHEASTEKN  MASSACHUSETTS 


579 


Jones  cited  above,  were:  Abraham,  Benjamin, 
Nathan,  Elnathan,  Submit  (married  a  Part- 
ridge), Sarah,  Lydia  (married  a  Bosworth), 
Rebecca  (married  a  Dyer)  and  Mary.  Of  these 
it  was  Abraham  Jones  who  was  the  principal 
agent  in  bringing  about  the  separation  of  the 
Raynham  settlement  from  the  parent  town.  He 
was  one  of  the  thirty-two  persons  dismissed  from 
the  parent  church  in  Taunton  to  organize  the 
First  Church  in  the  new  town — Raynham. 
Abraham,  Joseph  and  Mary  Jones  were  all  in 
full  communion  with  this  church  when  formed. 
Joseph  Jones  was  one  of  the  selectmen  of  the 
new  town  in  1733,  and  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace.  Several  of  the  daughters  of  Squire 
Jones  married  men  of  talent  who  became  dis- 
tinguished in  the  learned  professions,  namely: 
Mary  Jones  married  Rev.  John  Wilder,  of 
Charlestown;  Louisa  Jones  married  Rev.  Linus 
Shaw,  of  Sudbury,  and  a  third  daughter  be- 
came the  wife  of  Dr.  Alden  Hathaway. 

From  this  Raynham  stock  has  descended  the 
Brockton  family  which  for  a  hundred  years  and 
more  has  been  one  substantial  and  influential 
there,  and  which  had  in  the  late  Augustus 
Turner  Jones  a  worthy  and  highly  honored  rep- 
resentative, a  man  who  had  been  long  and 
prominently  identified  with  the  business  and 
financial  interests  of  the  community.  Mr.  Jones 
was  descended  from  the  North  Bridgewater  set- 
tler, Capt.  Asa  Jones,  who  was  a  son  of  Nathan 
Jones,  of  Raynham.  Nathan  Jones,  the  eldest 
son  of  Capt.  Asa,  was  a  corporal  in  Capt.Nehe- 
miah  Lincoln's  company,  called  out  during  the 
war  of  1812  to  guard  the  forts  along  the  coast. 
He  was  a  captain  in  1827,  major  in  1828  and 
lieutenant  colonel  in  1829.  He  was  selectman 
of  the  town  of  North  Bridgewater  in  184o  and 
1844.  He  was  moderator  of  town  meetings  in 
1836,  1837  and  from  1839  to  1842. 

Capt.  Asa  Jones  came  from  Raynham  to  the 
North  parish  of  Bridgewater  some  years  after 
the  American  Revolution  and  here  married, 
Dec.  4,  1792,  Rachel,  daughter  of  Capt.  Jere- 
miah Beals.  After  her  death  he  married  (sec- 
ond) Nov.  27,  1806,  Charity,  daughter  of  Mark 
PerkinB.  They  died,  Mr.  Jones  Dec.  6,  1840, 
and  Mrs.  Jones,  March  20,  1849.  The  chil- 
dren of  Captain  Jones,  all  born  to  the  first  mar- 
riage, were :  Nathan,  born  Aug.  19,  1794 ;  Ros- 
seter,  born  Sept.  16,  1797  (father  of  Bradford 
Elliot  Jones,  of  Brockton) ;  Sally,  born  Aug. 
12,  1799,  who  married  Nov.  18,  1819,  John 
Thompson;  Augustus,  bom  Oct.  12,  1801;  and 
Asa  Beals,  born  Sept.  21,  1803. 

Capt.  Augustus  Jones,  father  of  Augustus 
Turner  Jones,  was  bom  Oct.  12,  1801,  in  North 
Bridgewater.     He  learned  the  trade  of  carpen- 


ter, which  he  followed  for  a  number  of  years 
in  partnership  with  his  brother  Rosseter,  doing 
considerable  work  in  Sharon,  Milton  and  Ran- 
dolph, as  well  as  in  their  native  town.  Some 
years  prior  to  his  death  he  retired  from  carpen- 
ter work,  his  remaining  days  being  devoted  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  for  a  number 
of  years  connected  with  the  State  militia,  being 
an  ensign  in  1803,  1809  and  1818;  he  held  the 
commission  of  captain  in  the  same  in  1809,  and 
in  that  same  year  served  on  the  committee  of 
North  parish.  Though  a  man  of  quiet,  unpre- 
tentious nature,  devoted  to  his  home  and  fam- 
ily, he  was  an  active  man  in  local  affairs  and  in 
the  religious  life  of  the  community.  In  early 
life  he  was  active  in  the  work  of  the  First  Con- 
gregational Church,  being  one  of  the  committee 
in  1824,  and  one  of  the  advising  committee 
when  the  meeting-house  was  erected,  in  1827; 
and  he  was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the 
Porter  Congregational  Church  when  it  was  or- 
ganized in  1850,  and  thereafter  until  his  death 
was  active  in  the  latter  as  well  as  very  liberal 
in  his  support. 

On  Nov.  27,  1828,  Captain  Jones  was  married 
to  Almeda  Torrey,  eldest  daughter  of  Turner 
Torrey,  who  came  from  Weymouth,  and  they 
celebrated  their  golden  wedding  Nov.  27,  1878. 
To  this  union  there  were  bom  the  following 
children:  Augustus  Turner,  mentioned  below, 
and  Sarah  Fidelia,  born  Jan.  1,  1834.  The 
daughter  married  Oct.  18,  1857,  Charles  R. 
Ford  (now  deceased),  who  was  one  of  the  lead- 
ing shoe  manufacturers  of  Brockton  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  Mrs.  Ford  now  lives  with  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Wallace  C.  Keith,  of  North 
Main  street,  Brockton;  and  is  also  the  mother 
of  Miss  Jennie  H.  Ford  of  Brockton  and  Rev. 
Edward  T.  Ford,  a  Congregational  minister  of 
Tacoma,  Washington. 

Augustus  Turner  Jones  began  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  and  then  spent  part  of  two 
years  as  a  pupil  at  the  Adelphian  Academy 
(then  conducted  by  the  Lopmis  Brothers)  in  his 
home  town,  which  at  that  time  was  known  as 
North  Bridgewater.  Then  he  entered  Phillips 
Andover  Academy,  of  which  Dr.  Samuel  H. 
Taylor  was  principal  at  the  time,  and  in  1854 
completed  the  regular  classical  course  to  fit  him- 
self for  college.  The  same  year  he  entered  Am- 
herst, but  in  1856  changed  to  Yale,  where  he 
was  graduated  with  high  rank  in  1858.  For  a 
few  years  following  his  graduation  he  engaged 
in  teaching.  Immediately  upon  leaving  col- 
lege he  was  given  a  position  as  classical  instruc- 
tor in  a  large  training  school  at  Stamford, 
Conn.,  President  Woolsey  of  Yale  recommend- 
ing him  for  this  work,  in  which  he  continued 


580 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


one  year.  Then  he  was  ofEered  the  principal- 
ship  of  a  new  institution  which  had  been  re- 
cently opened  in  Haydenville,  Mass.,  and  which 
he  helped  to  place  upon  a  practical  and  sub- 
stantial footing,  resigning  after  two  years  to 
return  home  and  enter  the  field  of  journalism. 
In  this  line  Mr.  Jones  made  a  name  and  place 
for  himself  in  the  history  of  North  Bridge- 
water  and  Brockton  which  can  never  be  forgot- 
ten. He  became  proprietor  and  editorial  man- 
ager of  the  North  Brid^ewater  Gazette  in  1863, 
and  for  twenty  years  devoted  his  best  efforts  to 
the  welfare  of  that  paper,  which  during  that 
period  attained  an  amazing  influence  and  popu- 
larity. When  he  took  charge  it  was  a  weekly 
journal,  of  limited-  circulation  but  great  possi- 
bilities, which  Mr.  Jones  developed  to  the  ut- 
most. He  was  sincere  and  enthusiastic,  and  he 
had  ideals  of  what  a  newspaper  should  be  in 
its  effect  upon  the  morals  and  welfare  of  the 
community.  With  perception,  intelligence  and 
education  beyond  the  ordinary,  he  had  the 
vision  to  see  the  needs  of  the  growing  town  and 
the  demands  which  would  be  made  upon  his 
journal,  and  he  led  progressive  thought  and 
movements  for  many  years,  with  an  independ- 
ence of  spirit  and  a  conscientious  regard  for  the 
right  which  won  him  the  respect  and  support 
of  the  best  elements  in  all  classes.  When  Mr. 
Jones  sold  out  and  severed  his  connection  with 
the  newspaper  business,  Sept.  1,  1884,  he  left 
the  Gazette  firmly  established  both  in  a  finan- 
cial sense  and  in  its  position  in  the  community, 
for  no  paper  in  the  State  bore  a  higher  reputa- 
tion for  honesty  of  purpose  and  unquestioned 
standards.  From  1881  it  had  been  published 
daily  as  the  Evening  Gazette,  the  North  Bridge- 
water  Weekly  Gazette  being  continued  mean- 
while. Both  were  sold  to  A.  M.  Bridgman. 
The  building  in  which  the  weekly  and  daily 
issues  were  published  stood  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  Main  and  Ward  streets,  and  in  1910 
was  replaced  by  the  present  Marston  block. 

During  this  time  Mr.  Jones  had  personally 
entered  heartily  into  various  enterprises  des- 
tined to  keep  the  town  and  city  abreast  of  the 
times.  In  1864,  the  year  after  he  returned  to 
North  Bridgewater,  he  was  chosen  a  member 
of  the  school  committee,  upon  which  he  served 
twelve  years  between  that  time  and  1880,  with 
a  devotion  only  too  rarely  found  in  public  offi- 
cials. In  March,  1864,  he  was  a  member  of  a 
committee  appointed  to  consider  the  advisability 
of  establishing  a  high  school  in  the  town.  In 
1872  he  was  appointed  postmaster  by  President 
Grant,  and  had  the  appointment  renewed  in 
1873,  serving  until  1876,  when  he  resigned  this 
office.     In  1874  he  was  elected  first  town  mod- 


erator and  frequently  thereafter,  and  his  ability 
as  a  presiding  officer  over  public  assemblies  was 
so  generally  recognized  that  he  was  often  called 
upon  to  act  as  such,  and  he  was  often  chairman 
at  political  conventions  and  various  public 
gatherings.  In  1878,  when  it  was  decided  to 
establish  the  public  water  works  in  Brockton, 
he  was  selected  a  member  of  the  committee  to 
decide  upon  the  best  source  of  supply  and  the 
best  system  to  adopt,  and  he  took  an  active  part 
in  establishing  what  was  for  many  years  the 
city's  source  of  supply — the  Avon  reservoir.  He 
was  appointed  a  member  of  the  committee  cho- 
sen by  the  town  to  frame  a  city  charter  for 
Brockton  and  represented  his  ward  in  1882  in 
the  first  city  council,  of  which  he  was  unani- 
mously chosen  president.  In  1886,  1887  and 
1891  he  was  elected  tax  collector,  and  in  1887 
became  city  treasurer,  which  office  he  held  for 
seven  years.  That  he  retained  the  public  con- 
fidence and  the  good  will  of  the  community 
throughout  his  municipal  service  betokens  the 
liigh  regard  he  showed  for  the  interests  of  his 
fellow  citizens  in  all  these  positions  of  trust. 

Mr.  Jones  cast  his  first  Presidential  vote 
for  John  C.  Fremont,  and  he  was  a  lifelong 
Eepublican  in  political  faith.  He  was  always 
a  faithful  party  worker,  and  served  several 
years  as  chairman  of  the  Eepublican  town  com- 
mittee before  Brockton  became  a  city;  he  was 
often  called  upon  to  preside  at  conventions  in 
his  district.  He  was  a  prominent  member  of 
various  clubs  and  social  organizations,  belong- 
ing to  the  Commercial  Club,  the  Old  Colony 
Congregational  Club,  the  Old  Bridgewater  His- 
torical Society,  and  to  various  Masonic  bodies. 
In  1864  he  joined  Paul  Eevere  Lodge,  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.,  and  he  joined  the  higher  bodies  up 
to  and  including  Bay  State  Commandery,  K. 
T. ;  he  held  the  office  of  generalissimo  in  the 
commandery,  the  next  to  the  highest  office,  but 
declined  to  serve  as  eminent  commander  be- 
cause of  the  pressure  of  business  interests.  He 
was  among  the  original  promoters  and  members 
of  the  Old  Colony  Congregational  Club,  served 
five  years  as  its  secretary  and  was  president  for 
two  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  board  of 
directors  of  the  Plymouth  County  Safe  Deposit 
&  Trust  Company  and  its  successor.  The  Plym- 
outh County  Trust  Company,  from  the  time  of 
its  organization.  He  was  practically  the  founder 
of  the  People's  Savings  Bank,  which  opened 
for  business  Aug.  1,  1895,  and  served  as  treas- 
urer from  that  time  until  his  death.  In  fact, 
he  was  always  the  leading  spirit  in  this  institu- 
tion, which  proved  to  be  such  a  valuable  factor 
in  the  prosperity  of  Brockton,  and  into  whose 
success  he  put  so  much  of  his  own  personality. 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


581 


Mr.  Jones  lived  to  see  this  bank  grow  to  be 
one  of  the  city's  leading  financial  institutions, 
passing  away  a  few  months  after  its  removal 
to  its  present  commodious  and  substantial  bank- 
ing house,  erected  for  that  purpose. 

As' intimated,  Mr.  Jones's  church  connection 
was  with  the  Congregationalists.  He  was  one 
of  the  most  efScient  workers  and  members  of 
the  Porter  Congregational  Church,  to  which  he 
belonged  nearly  fifty-four  years,  served  as  dea- 
con several  years,  as  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day school,  Sunday  school  teacher  fifty  years, 
chairman  of  the  board  of  finance,  member  of 
the  parish  committee  (nineteen  years),  repre- 
sented the  church  in  various  ecclesiastical  gath- 
erings, and  acted  in  other  important  official 
connections,  besides  contributing  liberally  to  all 
the  church  enterprises. 

Mr.  Jones's  death,  which  occurred  suddenly 
March  8,  1909,  near  the  close  of  liis  seventy- 
seventh  year,  was  felt  in  so  many  circles  in 
Brockton  that  it  might  be  said  there  was  hardly 
a  phase  of  the  life  of  the  city  unaffected  by 
the  event.  The  flag  over  the  city  hall  floated 
at  half  mast  during  the  funeral  services,  the 
city  hall  was  closed  for  an  hour  and  business 
was  suspended  in  all  the  municipal  offices,  while 
many  representatives  of  the  city  government, 
including  the  mayor,  attended  the  funeral,  offi- 
cially or  unofficially ;  the  People's  Savings  Bank 
closed  at  noon,  and  the  Plymouth  County  Trust 
Company  observed  the  hour  of  the  services. 
Both  banks  sent  resolutions  of  sympathy  to  the 
family,  and  in  every  way  showed  the  losa  they 
suffered  in  Mr.  Jones's  decease.  The  twenty- 
four  trustees  of  the  People's  Savings  Bank 
were  present,  as  well  as  officers  and  prominent 
men  from  his  church,  employes,  fellow  workers, 
officers  and  members  of  Paul  Eevere  Lodge,  and 
representatives  from  the  other  Masonic  bodies 
with  which  he  was  affiliated.  The  services  were 
conducted  by  Rev.  A.  M.  Hyde,  pastoT  of  Por- 
ter Church,  from  whose  sermon  we  make  the 
following  quotation : 

"He  was  a  farseeing  builder,  a  master  build- 
er, a  builder  of  institutions,  a  builder  ■  whose 
beautiful   temples   are   about   him   everywhere. 

Living  all  his  life  here,  building  here 

for  seventy-seven  years,  he  has  built  himself  into 
almost  everything  that  is  worthy  and  beautiful. 
We  may  say  of  him  as  they  said  of  Sir  Chris- 
topher Wren,  in  the  great  cathedral,  'If  you 
would  see  his  monument  look  about  you.'  The 
editor  who  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century 
molded  the  sentiment  of  the  city  to  noble  and 
lofty  ideals,  the  moderator  of  town  meetings, 
the  leader  of  the  meeting  that  gave  the  city  its 
name,  a  member  of  the  committee  that  framed 


the  city  charter  and  gave  the  city  its  form  of 
government,  the  first  president  of  the  council, 
a  member  of  the  committee  that  established  the 
high  school,  a  member  of  the  committee  that 
gave  us  our  water  supply,  postmaster,  treasurer, 
school  committeeman,  business  man,  church 
man — where  is  there  another  who  has  done  what 
he  has  done?  Through  all  these  has  been  an 
accuracy  of  mind  that  is  as  great  a  marvel  as 
a  matter  of  genius  as  his  honesty  of  heart  is 
a  marvel  as  a  matter  of  experience.  His  clear- 
ness of  mind,  his  voluminous  reading,  his 
knowledge  of  men,  all  fitted  him  to  hold  the 
highest  positions.  To  him  promotion  always 
called.  But  he  shrank  from  it.  He  declined  it 
again  and  again.  He  was  ambitious  only  to 
do  the  duty  next  to  him  which  seemed  to  be 
given  him  of  God  to  do.  •  He  cared  to  make  our 
city  truly  great ;  and  caring  not  for  greatness 
for  himself  he  found  greatness  in  being  great 
to  others 

"He  was  a  philanthropist  from  the  very  be- 
ginning. Making  his  way  with  marked  honor 
through  Phillips  Academy  and  Amherst  and 
Yale  Colleges,  receiving  his  diploma  when  he 
was  twenty-six  years  of  age,  he  entered  the 
school  room.  He  was  a  born  teacher.  There 
are  men  and  women  in  middle  life  who  date 
their  first  tuition  and  abiding  thirst  for  knowl- 
edge to  the  guidance  and  the  inspiration  of  this 
faithful  and  skillful  teacher.  A  lover  of  books, 
gathering  from  the  libraries  written  on  the 
scrolls  of  nature,  abiding  much  in  the  school 
room  of  the  fields,  from  these  silent  companion- 
ships there  passed  through  him  to  the  circles 
of  his  human  intercourse  wonderful  parables 
of  life,  revealing  thoughts  as  rich  and  beautiful 
as  the  petals,  the  clusters,  the  ruby  and  golden 
spheres  he  knew  so  well. 

"A  philanthropist  from  the  first,  he  was  ^ 
philanthropist  always.  Each  new  day  was  a 
new  door  to  new  philanthropies.  He  was  al- 
ways giving.  He  gave  his  money;  he  gave  his 
time;  he  gave  his  sympathy;  he  gave  himself. 
And  he  gave  always  with  the  clear-sightedness 
of  a  systematic  business  man  who  could  be 
trusted  with  the  finances  of  a  city  or  a  bank. 
He  gave  with  a  view  of  investing  his  money  and 
himself  where  they  would  do  the  most  for  hu- 
manity. His  life  itself  was  a  gift.  His  very 
business  life  was  lived  in  love.  He  was  in 
charge  of  other  people's  finances.  Millions  of 
dollars  have  passed  through  his  hands.  Yet 
not  a  penny  was  ever  charged  for  any  selfish 
interests  of  his  own.  Opportunity  came  again 
and  again  when  he  might  have  used  his  place 
for  enriching  himself.  He  never  did  it.  He 
used  it  all  to  serve.    His  bank  was  like  a  draw- 


582 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


ing  room  in  its  courtesies  to  the  most  humble 
aud  the  most  poor." 

The  following  editorial  appeared  in  the 
Brockton  Enterprise:  "Death's  summons  came 
with  startling  suddenness  last  evening  to  a  citi- 
zen who  has  had  very  much  to  do  with  the  up- 
building of  Brockton  from  an  ambitious  town 
into  the  'no  mean  city'  of  to-day.  A  life  is 
ended  that  spanned  over  threescore  and  ten 
years,  and  they  were  years  of  unbroken  activity 
along  lines  of  endeavor  that  contributed  to 
everything  good  in  the  life  of  this  community. 

"Augustus  T.  Jones  was  a  man  of  high 
ideals,  of  strict  probity,  of  unvarying  courtesy 
in  his  intercourse  with  his  fellows.  As  an  editor 
he  made  the  Gazette  a  newspaper  of  dignity  and 
influence.  As  moderator  of  town  meetings,  as 
postmaster,  as  school  committeeman,  as  com- 
mon councilman,  as  city  treasurer,  he  served 
the  people  faithfully  and  capably.  In  his 
church  he  was  loyal  and  steadfast;  a  kindly 
neighbor,  a  helpful  friend,  a  home  lover  de- 
voted to  his  family.  The  People's  Savings 
Bank,  of  which  he  \^as  the  founder,  was  a 
dream  he  saw  fulfilled  in  his  later  years.  He 
gloried  in  its  development,  gave  to  it  the  best 
of  his  hands  and  brains  and  heart,  and  when 
it  was  moved  to  its  fine  new  home  but  a  few 
weeks  ago  he  was  proud  and  happy  in  the  ful- 
fillment of  his  hopes. 

"When  the  Enterprise  was  launched  as  a 
competitor  of  the  Gazette  back  in  1879,  with 
little  capital  beyond  ambition  and  determina- 
tion, it  found  Mr.  Jones  a  fair  and  friendly 
contemporary.  In  fact  for  a  time,  until  the 
struggling  venture  was  able  to  walk  alone,  the 
Enterprise  was  printed  on  his  press.  The  two 
papers,  and  the  men  who  made  them,  were 
always  on  good  terms. 

"It  seems  to  us  that  the  end  came  to  this 
useful,  busy,  honorable  career  just  as  he  might 
have  wished  it.  To  the  very  last  he  was  'in  the 
harness,'  and  it  was  a  harness  he  wore  because 
he  loved  to  be  honorably  occupied.  He  had 
attained  much  that  made  life  sweet  and  satisfy- 
ing. He  had  earned  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  had  held  the  deeper  love 
of  those  who  knew  him  best. 

"What  higher  rewards  can  this  life  offer?" 

Mr.  Jones  was  laid  to  rest  in  Union  ceme- 
tery, his  son  and  his  three  sons-in-law  offici- 
a:ting  as  pallbearers. 

On  Dec.  2,  1860,  Mr.  Jones  was  married  to 
Helen  Eveleth,  daughter  of  Moses  and  Betsey 
(Preble)  Eveleth,  of  New  Gloucester,  Maine, 
and  a  graduate  of  Mount  Holyoke  College, 
class  of  1856.  There  were  two  children  by  this 
union:      (1)    Bertha    Eveleth,    born    Sept.    7, 


1866,  was  graduated  from  the  art  department 
at  Wellesley  College  in  1889  and  was  married 
in  1894  to  Edward  Dwight  Blodgett,  a  gradu- 
ate of  Amherst,  1887,  who  is  now  editor  of 
the  Daily  Standard,  at  Cortland,  N.  Y.,  where 
they  reside.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren, Eleanor  Dickinson  and  Edward  Eveleth 
Blodgett.  (2)  Lizzie  Lee,  born  Sept.  25,  1868, 
who  graduated  from  Wellesley  College  in  1891, 
was  a  teacher  for  several  years,  and  is  now  the 
wife  of  J.  Howard  Field,  vice  president  of  the 
C.  A.  Eaton  Shoe  Company,  of  Brockton, 
where  they  reside.  They  are  the  parents  of 
three  children,  Helen  Eleveth,  John  Howard, 
Jr.,  and  Elizabeth  Field.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  in  1875,  and  Mr.  Jones  married 
(second)  March  20,  1876,  Mrs.  Harriet 
(Drake)  Pettee,  daughter  of  Deacon  Ebenezer 
and  Lucy  (Reed)  Drake,  and  widow  of  S. 
Cardner  Pettee,  of  Stoughton,  Mass.,  by  whom 
she  had  one  daughter,  Alice  Gardner  Pettee, 
born  Nov.  20,  1864,  in  Stoughton,  who  gradu- 
ated from  Wellesley  College,  and  is  now  the  wife 
of  Eev.  George  P.  Eastman,  of  Framingham, 
Mass.,  now  located  at  Orange,  N.  J.,  where  he 
is  pastor  of  the  Orange  Valley  Congregational 
Church.  They  are  the  parents  of  four  children, 
Gardner  Pettee,  Roger,  Philip  Yale  and  Har- 
riet Drake  Eastman.  Mr.  Jones  and  his  sec- 
•nd  wife  had  one  son,  Everett  Augustus,  born 
Aug.  16,  1878,  who  was  graduated  from  the 
Brockton  high  school  in  1896,  and  from  Am- 
herst College  in  1900;  he  is  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  shoe  dressings  and  shoe  manu- 
facturers' supplies  under  the  firm  name  of,  E. 
A.  Jones  &  Co..  at  Brockton,  where  he  resides, 
unmarried,  making  his  home  with  his  widowed 
mother.  The  family  residence  is  at  No.  182 
North  Main  street. 

WILLIAMS  (Taunton  family) .  In  the  an- 
cient town  of  Taunton  there  are  still  represen- 
tatives of  the  famous  Cromwell-Williams  line 
of  the  family  bearing  the  latter  name.  Refer- 
ence is  made  to  some  of  the  posterity  of  Rich- 
ard Williams,  who  with  Oliver  Cromwell,  the 
"Lord  Protector,"  sprang  from  the  same  an- 
cestor, William  Cromwell,  a  son  of  Robert  Crom- 
well, of  Carleton  upon  Trent,  a  Lancastrian 
who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Towton,  in  1461. 

Many  years  ago  the  statement  was  made, 
and  afterward  vehemently  doubted,  that  the 
family  of  Richard  Williams  of  Taunton  was 
connected  by  ties  of  blood  with  that  of  Oliver 
Cromwell.  This  fact  was  established  by  the 
wonderful  patience  and  perseverance,  and  at 
considerable  expense,  of  the  late  Hon.  Joseph 
Hartwell  Williams,  of  Augusta,  Maine,  a  former 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


583 


governor  of  Maine,  a  direct  descendant  of  Rich- 
ard Williams  of  Taunton.  The  following  is  an 
account  of  this  connection  taken  from  the  New 
England  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register 
of  April,  1897,  abridged  by  the  late  Josiah  H. 
Drummond,  LL.  D.,  of  Portland,  Maine. 

Cromwell.  The  Cromwell  line  dates 
from  Alden  de  Cromwell,  who  lived  in  the  time 
of  William  the  Conqueror.  His  son  was  Hugh 
de  Cromwell,  and  from  him  descended  ten 
Ralph  de  Cromwells  in  as  many  successive  gen- 
erations; but  the  tenth  Ralph  died  without 
issue. 

The  seventh  Ralph  de  Cromwell  married,  in 
1351,  Amicia,  daughter  of  Robert  Berer,  M.  P. 
for  Notts;  besides  the  eighth  Ralph,  they  had 
several  other  sons,  among  whom  was  Ulker 
Cromwell,  of  Hucknall  Torkard,  Notts.  Ulker 
had  Richard ;  and  he,  John  of  Cromwell  House, 
Carleton  upon  Trent,  Notts;  and  he,  Robert; 
the  names  of  the  wives  are  not  given. 

(I)  Robert  Cromwell,  of  Carleton  upon 
Trent,  was  a  Lancastrian.  He  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Towton,  in  1461.  His  lease  of  Crom- 
well House  was  seized  by  Sir  Humphrey 
Bourchier,  Yorkist,  who  was  the  husband  of 
Joan  Stanhope,  the  granddaughter  of  the  ninth 
Ralph,  through  his  daughter  Matilda,  wife  of 
Sir  Richard  Stanhope. 

Robert  left  a  son  William,  the  ancestor  of 
Robert  Cromwell,  and  a  daughter  Margaret, 
the  ancestor  of  both  Oliver  Cromwell  and  Rich- 
ard Williams  of  Taunton. 

(II)  William  Cromwell,  of  the  prebend  of 
Palace  Hall,  Norwalk,  Notts,  settled  in  Put- 
ney, Surrey,  1453.  He  married  Margaret 
Smyth,  daughter  of  John  Smyth,  of  Norwalk. 
Notts,  and  had  John. 

Margaret  Cromwell  married  William  Smyth 
(son  of  John).  They  had  son  Richard  Smyth 
and  daughter  Joan  Smyth. 

(III)  John  Cromwell,  son  of  William,  mar- 
ried his  cousin,  Joan  Smyth.  He  was  a  Lan- 
castrian, and  his  lands  at  Putney  were  seized 
by  Archbishop  Bourchier,  Lord  of  the  Manor  of 
Wimbledon,  and  his  lease  of  Palace  Hall,  Nor- 
walk, Notts,  remised  by  Lord  Chancellor 
Bourchier.  They  had,  among  other  children, 
Walter  Cromwell. 

Richard  Smyth,  of  Rockhampton,  Putney,  by 
wife,  Isabella,  had  daughter  Margaret  Smyth, 
who  married  John  Williams,  fourth  in  descent 
from  Howell  Williams,  the  head  of  the  Wil- 
liams line. 

(IV)  Walter  Cromwell  married  in  1474  the 
daughter  of  Glossop  of  Wirksworth,  Derby- 
shire; in  1472  he'claimed  and  was  admitted  to 
two  virgates  (thirty  acres)  of  land  at  Putney; 


in  1499  Archbishop  Morton,  Lord  of  Wimble- 
don Manor,  gave  him  six  virgates  (ninety  acres) 
of  land  in  Putney  as  a  solatium  for  the  prop- 
erty taken  from  his  father  by  the  Bourchier 
Yorkists.  He  died  in  1516,  leaving  among 
other  children  Katherine  Cromwell. 

(V)  Katherine  Cromwell  married  Morgan 
Williams,  fifth  in  descent  from  Howell  Wil- 
liams, and  had  a  son  Richard  Williams,  born 
about  1495. 

(VI)  Sir  Richard  Williams,  alias  Cromwell, 
married  in  1518  Frances  Murfyn.  He  died  at 
Stepney  in  1547  and  was  buried  in  6t.  St. 
Helen's  Church,  London.  He  left  son  Henry 
Cromwell,  alias  Williams. 

(VII)  Sir  Henry  Cromwell,  alias  Williams 
(called  "The  Golden  Knight"),  of  Hinchen- 
brook,  Huntingdop,  married  Joan,  daughter  of 
Sir  Ralph  Warren,  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  and 
they  had :  Sir  Oliver,  Robert,  Henry,  Richard, 
Philip,  Joan,  Elizabeth  and  Prances. 

(VIII)  Robert  Cromwell,  of  Huntingdon, 
brewer,  married  Elizabeth  Stewart,  widow  of 
William  Lynn,  of  Bassingbourn,  and  their  fifth 
child  was  Oliver  Cromwell,  the  "Lord  Protec- 
tor." 

Robert's  sister,  Elizabeth  Cromwell,  married 
William  Hampden,  of  Great  Hampden,  Bucks, 
and  among  their  children  were  John  Hampden, 
"The  Patriot,"  and  Richard  Hampden. 

Williams.  Governor  Williams,  through  his 
assistants,  traced  the  Williams  line  back  to 
Howell  Williams,  Lord  of  Ribour. 

(I)  Howell  Williams,  Lord  of  Ribour,  mar- 
ried Wenlion,  daughteT»and  heiress  of  Llyne  ap 
Jevan,  of  Rady,  and  had  son  Morgan  Williams. 

(II)  Morgan  Williams,  of  Lanishen,  Gla- 
morgan, married  Joan  Batton,  daughter  of 
Thomas,  of  Glamorgan,  and  they  had  Thomas 
and  Jevan. 

Jevan  Williams  married  Margaret,  daughter 
of  Jenkin  Kemeys,  of  Bagwye  Man.  They  had 
son  William  Williams  of  Lanishen,  bailiff  for 
Henry  VIII.,  who  (wife  not  knovra)  was  the 
father  of  Morgan  Williams,  of  Lanishen,  Gla- 
morgan, and  later  of  Putney,  Surrey,  ale  brewer 
at  Putney,  Wansworth,  and  Greenwich,  for 
Henry  VII.  and  Henry  VIII.,  and  the  husband 
in  1494  of  Katherine  Cromwell — see  ante 
Cromwell,  No.   5,  et  seq. 

(III)  Thomas  Williams,  of  Lanishen,  Gla- 
morgan, died  at  St.  Helen's,  Bishopsgate,  Lon- 
don ;  was  buried  in  the  church  there,  "with  his 
brass  on  stone." 

(IV)  John  Williams,  steward  of  Wimbledon 
Manor,  Surrey,  married  Margaret  Smyth, 
daughter  of  Richard  Smyth,  and  granddaughter 
of    Margaret    Cromwell    (see    ante    Cromwell, 


584 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Nos.  1,  2).  He  died  at  Mortlake  in  1502,  and 
she  in  1501.  They  had  two  sons,  John  and 
Richard. 

John  Williams,  born  in  1485,  married  Joan 
Wykys,  daughter  of  Henry  Wykys,  of  Bolleys 
Park  Chertney,  and  sister  of  Elizabeth  Wykys, 
who  married  Thomas  Cromwell  (brother  of 
Katharine),  secretary  to  Henry  VIII.,  Lord 
Cromwell  of  Oakham,  Earl  of  Essex. 

(V)  Richard  Williams  was  born  in  Rock- 
ampton  in  1487.  He  settled  at  Monmouth  and 
Dixton,  Mon.,  where  he  died  in  1559.  He  was 
twice  married.  The  name  of  his  first  wife  is 
not  known.  She  is  credited  with  one  daughter, 
Joan.  His  second  wife.  Christian,  had  two 
daughters,  Reece  and  Ruth,  and  one  son,  John. 

(VI)  John  Williams,  of  Huntingdon,  near 
Wotton  under  Edge,  Gloucester,  died  in  1579, 
leaving  son  William.  No  other  particulars  of 
this  family  are  given. 

(VII)  William  Williams,  of  Huntingdon, 
married  Nov.  15,  1585,  Jane  Shepherd.  She 
died  about  1600,  a  child  of  hers  having  been 
baptized  Dec.  2,  1599.  He  married  Dec.  4, 
1603,  Jane  Woodward.  She  died  Feb.  2,  1614, 
and  he  in  1618.  The  first  child  by  his  second 
marriage,  bom  in  January,  1606,  was  Richard 
Williams,  of  Taunton. 

Of  the  change  of  his  name  by  Sir  Richard 
Williams,  Governor  Williams  said:  "Oliver 
Cromwell  in  the  male  line  of  Morgan  Williams 
of  Glamorganshire.  His  great-grandfather.  Sir 
Richard  Williams,  assumed  the  name  of  'Crom- 
well,' it  is  true,  but  not  until  in  mature  years 
he  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  public  ser- 
vice (temp.  Henry  VIII.),  under  the  patronage 
of  his  uncle,  Thomas  Cromwell  (Vicar  General, 
1535),  whom  he  proposed  to  honor  by  the  adop- 
tion of  his  name.  In  fact,  ever  afterwards.  Sir 
Richard  used  to  sign  himself,  'Richard  Crom- 
well, alias  Williams' ;  and  his  sons  and  grand- 
sons, and  Oliver  Cromwell  himself,  in  his  youth 
(*1620),  used  to  sign  in  the  same  manner.  In 
important  grants  from  the  crown  to  Sir  Rich- 
ard (29  and  31,  Henry  VIII.)  the  grantee's 
name  appears  in  both  forms,  'Cromwell  alias 
Williams'  and  'Williams  alias  Cromwell.' " 

It  is  not  believed  that,  in  the  light  of  Gov- 
ernor Williams's  researches,  the  relationship  of 
Richard  Williams  of  Taunton  and  the  Crom- 
well family  will  again  be  questioned. 

(VIII)  Richard  Williams,  son  of  William 
Williams,  of  Huntingdon,  and  his  wife  Jane 
(Woodward),  born  in  January,  1606,  married 
in  Gloucester,  England,  Feb.  11,  1633,  Frances 
Dighton,  daughter  of  Dr.  Jolm  Dighton,  and 
for  whom  the  town  of  Dighton,  Mass.,  was 
named.     Richard   Williams   came   to   America 


and  was  among  the  first  purchasers  of  Taun- 
ton. He  was  a  man  of  good  abilities;  was 
deputy  to  the  General  Court  of  Plymouth  Col- 
ony from  1645  to  1665;  selectman  in  1666  and 
1667.  He  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the 
"New  Purchase,"  now  Dighton.  He  was  a 
member  and  deacon  of  the  First  Church.  He 
died  in  the  year  1693,  aged  eighty-seven. 

The  children  born  to  Richard  and  his  wife 
Prances  (Dighton) — the  eldest  two  being  born 
while  the  parents  were  living  in  Gloucester,  in 
the  parish  of  Whitcombe  Magna,  and  both  of 
whom  died  when  young — were:  (1)  John  was 
baptized  March  27,  1634.  (3)  Elizabeth  was 
baptized  Feb.  7,  1635-36.  (3)  Samuel  married 
Jane  Gilbert,  and  is  mentioned  farther  on.  (4) 
Joseph  married  (first)  Nov.  28,  1667,  Elizabeth 
Watson,  and  (second)  Abigail  Newland,  and 
is  mentioned  later.  (5)  Nathaniel  married  in 
1668  Elizabeth  Rogers,  of  Duxbury,  and  their 
children  were:  John  (bom  Aug.  37,  1675), 
Nathaniel  (born  April  9,  1679)  and  Elizabeth 
(born  April  18,  1686).  (6)  Thomas  and  his 
wife  Mary  had  children:  Mary  (born  1680), 
Jonathan  (born  1683,  married  Elizabeth  Leon- 
ard), Sarah  (born  1685,  married  James  Hall), 
Macy  (born  1687),  Hannah  (born  1689), 
Bethia  (bom  1692),  Mehetabel  (born  1695) 
and  Damaris  (born  1698).  (7)  Benjamin  mar- 
ried March  18,  1689-90,  Rebecca  Macy,  and 
their  children  were :  Rebecca  (bom  Nov.  27, 
1690),  Josiah  (bora  Nov.  7,  1692),  Benjamin 
(born  July  31,  1695)  and  John  (born  March 
27,  1699).  (8)  Elizabeth,  bom  about  1647, 
married  John  Bird,  of  Dorchester.  (9)  Han- 
nah married  John  Parmenter,  of  Boston. 

(IX)  Samuel  Williams,  second  son  of  Rich- 
ard and  Frances,  first  of  Taunton,  married 
Jane  Gilbert.  Their  children  were:  Seth  (bom 
1675,  died  1761),  Samuel,  Daniel,  Mary,  Sarah 
and  Hannah. 

(X)  Seth  Williams,  son  of  Samuel  and  Jane, 
born  1675,  was  chief  justice  of  the  county  court 
of  Common  Pleas  from  1754  till  1761,  the  time 
of  his  death.  His  children  were:  James; 
David;  Abiel;  Benjamin,  bom  Feb.  25,  1721, 
who  died  March  18,  1784;  Mary;  Elizabeth; 
Susanna;  Rachel,  and  Jemima. 

(XI)  James  Williams,  son  of  Seth  Wil- 
liams, above,  died  in  1765.  Ete  was  a  judge  of 
the  court  of  Common  Pleas  after  the  death  of 
his  father;  and  was  also  appointed  register  of 
deeds  in  1746  (when  the  records  were  removed 
from  Bristol,  then  set  off  from  Massacliusetts 
to  Rhode  Island),  serving  till  his  death. 

(XI)  Benjamin  Williams,  son  of  Seth,  born 
Feb.  25,  1721,  was  appointed  judge  of  Probate 
for  the  .county  in  1778,  and  held  the  office  till 


^^wk] 


€rt^  fy  rs.  u-'/Aofi,  3  ^^„  fior 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


585 


'lis  death,  March  18,  1784.  His  children  were: 
Lemuel,  who  became  a  member  of  Congress; 
Benjamin,  born  July  17,  1757;  Joshua;  Elisha; 
Ann,  who  married  a  Tubs ;  and  Mary,  who  mar- 
ried Rev.  Mr.  Spaulding. 

(XII)  Benjamin  Williams,  son  of  Benjamin, 
was  bom  July  17,  1757,  and  died  Jan.  29, 
1830.  On  Nov.  28,  1793,;  he  married  Lydia 
Williams,  who  was  born  Jan.  24,  1774,  and  died 
Sept.  11,  1845,  youngest  daughter  of  James 
Williams  and  sister  of  Judge  John  M.  Williams. 
The  children  of  this  marriage  were:  Ann,  born 
Feb.  8,  1795,  who  died  in  July,  1797;  Myra, 
born  Aug.  11,  1796,  who  married  Rev.  Samuel 
Presbrey;  Benjamin  F.,  born  July  5,  1798; 
George  W.,  born  July  13,  1800;  Sydney,  born 
Feb.  13,  1803;  Henry,  born  Nov.  30,  1805; 
Edgar,  born  1807,  who  died  April  6,  1808; 
Lydia,  born  Jan.  27,  1809,  who  died  Sept.  7, 
1830;  and  Anna  Augusta,  born  Aug.  24,  1811, 
who  died  Dec.  2,  1838. 

(XIII)  George  W.  Williams,  son  of  Benja- 
min and  Lydia,  was  born  July  13,  1800.  He 
married  Emma  Willis,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  children  born  as  follows:  Emma 
Augusta,  March  11,  1827;  George  Edgar,  Aug. 
16,  1829;  Julius,  Jan.  11,  1834;  Andrew, 
Aug.  28,  1837;  Lewis,  April  25,  1840;  Felix, 
Oct.  17,  1843 ;  Arthur  Herbert,  Feb.  23,  1846. 

(XIV)  Lewis  Williams,  son  of  George  W. 
and  Emma  (Willis),  was  born  in  Taunton 
April  25,  1840,  and  died  there  Dec.  23,  1902. 
He  was  brought  up  in  Weir  village,  and  at- 
tended Bristol  Academy.  After  his  school  days 
he  promptly  entered  upon  business  life  and  in 
the  early  seventies  was  busy  in  the  old  firm  of 
Staples  &  Phillips,  who  were  the  leading  ship- 
pers, vessel  owners,  and  coal  movers  and  sellers 
in  southeastern  New  England  for  a  long  term 
of  years.  On  the  dissolution  of  that  firm  he 
joined  his  fortunes  with  those  of  the  Staples 
Coal  Company,  and  vigorously  assisted  in  de- 
veloping the  business  of  that  corporation  until 
it  became  one  of  the  leaders  in  New  England  in 
moving  and  selling  coal,  owning  shipping  (both 
barges  and  tugs)  and  constantly  enlarging  its 
sphere  of  operations  until  they  covered  a  great 
portion  of  this  territory,  both  coast  and  interior. 

A  public-spirited  and  open-handed  citizen, 
Mr.  Williams  was  among  the  foremost  in  vari- 
ous enterprises  to  increase  the  commercial 
facilities  of  the  city,  add  to  its  manufactories, 
and  give  employment  to  workers.  His  advice 
was  always  sound  and  his  foresight  good.  He 
was  interested  as  a  part  owner  in  the  West  Sil- 
ver Works,  the  Dighton  Furnace,  the  Taunton 
Crucible  Works,- and  he  owned  stock  in  the  Carr 
and  Winthrop  Mills,  of  Taunton,  and  was  also 


interested  as  a  heavy  stockholder  in  a  number 
of  Fall  River  mills.  He  never  shirked  his  ob- 
ligation to  do  his  part  in  charitable  work,  and 
no  one  who  was  really  needy,  no  deserving  pub- 
lic benefaction,  ever  called  upon  him  in  vain. 
He  was  brought  up  in  the  old  First  Church, 
believed  in  it  and  stood  by  it  always,  both  by 
his  presence  at  its  services  and  in  every  other 
way  to  strengthen  its  growth  and  its  power  as 
an  element  of  good  in  the  city  and  the  denomi- 
nation. 

On  Sept.  22,  1870,  Mr.  Williams  married 
Adelaide  N.  Staples,  daughter  of  Sylvanus  N. 
and  D.  Adaline  (Bood)  Staples,  and  one 
daughter  blessed  this  union,  Hattie  Staples, 
who  married  Frederick  Ludlam.  Mr.  Wil- 
liai^s's  wide  family  and  personal  connections 
made  the  termination  of  his  useful  and  busy 
life  and  the  loss  of  his  kindly  and  courteous 
personality  far-reaching,  his  high  citizenship 
touched  and  influenced  so  many  sides  of  the 
community's  social,  religious  and  business  life. 

(IX)  Joseph  Williams,  son  of  Richard  and 
Frances  (Dighton),  married  (first)  Elizabeth 
Watson  and  (second)  Abigail  Newland.  His 
children  were:  Elizabeth,  Richard,  Mehetabel, 
Joseph,  Benjamin,  Ebenezer,  Phebe  and  Rich- 
ard  (2). 

(X)  Richard  Williams,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Elizabeth  (Watson),  born  March  26,  1689,  died 
in  1727.  He  married  (first)  Anna  Wilbore 
and  (second)  Jan.  1,  1740,  Elizabeth  Merick. 
His  children  were:  George,  born  in  Taunton 
in  1717;  Richard,  and  Ebenezer. 

(XI)  Col.  George  Williams,  of  Taunton,  son 
of  Richard  and  Anna  (Wilbore),  bom  in  Taun- 
ton in  1717,  married  Jan.  6,  1736-37,  Sarah 
Hodges,  born  in  1715  in  Taunton,  Mass.,  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Leonard)  Hodges,  of 
Taunton.  The  second  marriage  of  Col.  George 
Williams  was  to  Mrs.  Nancy  Dean.  He  died 
in  1803,  and  his  wife  in  1797.  His  nine  chil- 
dren, all  born  in  Taunton,  were:  (1)  Phebe, 
born  in  1737,  died  in  1813,  in  Taunton.  She 
married  (first)  John  Hart,  of  Taunton,  son 
of  Lawrence  and  Elizabeth  Hart,  (second)  Feb. 
15,  1759,  Simeon  Tisdale,  of  Taunton,  son  of 
Joseph  and  Ruth  (Reed)  Tisdale,  and  (third) 
April  27.  1763,  Eliphaz  Harlow,  of  Taunton, 
son  of  Eleazer^nd  Hannah  (Delano)  Harlow. 
(2)  Sarah,  bom  in  1739,  died  in  1830.  On 
April  14,  1757,  she  married  Richard  Godfrey, 
of  Taunton,  son  of  Richard  and  Theodora 
(Dean)  Godfrey.  (3)  A  child,  born  in  1741, 
died  May  5,  1750,  in  Taunton.  (4)  George, 
born  Aug.  18,  1745,  died  Feb.  23,  1814,  at 
Raynham,   Mass.     He  married   Oct.   2,   1766, 


586 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Bathsheba  King,  daughter  of  Philip  and  Abi- 
gail (Williams)  King,  of  Raynham.  (5)  Anna, 
bom  in  1747,  died  Nov.  2,  1833,  at  Taunton. 
She  married  (first)  Sept.  16,  1763.  Elisha 
Codding,  and  (second)  July  19,  1788,  Jona- 
than French,  of  Berkley,  Mass.^  son  of  Ebenezer 
and  Keziah  French,  of  Berkley.  (6)  Ebenezer, 
born  in  1751,  died  April  30,  1814.  He  married 
March  7,  1769,  at  Raynham,  Sarah  Ellis,  of 
Raynham,  daughter  of  Philip  Ellis.  (7)  Lydia, 
born  in  1753,  died  March  5,  1773.  She  mar- 
ried Aug.  6,  1772,  Isaac  Tobey,  of  Berkley,  son 
of  Rev.  Samuel  and  Batljsheba  (Crocker) 
Tobey,  of  Berkley.  (8)  Richard,  born  in  1755 
or  1757,  died  in  Taunton  in  1814.  He  mar- 
ried Hannah  Padelford,  of  Taunton,  daughter 
of  Edward  and  Sarah  (Briggs)  Padelford.  ,(9) 
Abiather,  born  June  4,  1759,  died  Oct.  4,  1760, 
at  Taunton. 

Col.  George  Williams  lived  in  Taunton,  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Taunton  river,  on  what  is 
now  Williams  street.  He  was  a  man  of  prop- 
erty, owning  a  large  landed  estate.  From  the 
soldierly  qualities  which  he  evidently  possessed 
it  seems  that  he  served  in  the  war  with  the 
French  in  1744-45;  and  perhaps  in  the  first 
year  of  the  French  and  Indian  war.  But  the 
record  thus  far  found  of  his  military  service 
begins  in  1757.  He  was  then  ensign  of  a  com- 
pany stationed  'at  Fort  William  Henry,  when 
the  French  and  Indians  under  Montcalm  in- 
vested the  place  Aug.  3,  1757.  He  was  sent 
out  at  the  beginning  of  the  siege  under  Captain 
Saltonstall,  but  his  party  was  driven  back,  and 
he  himself  taken  prisoner.  He  was  released  not 
long  after,  and  returned  to  Taunton.  He  rose 
to  the  rank  of  captain  of  the  3d  Taunton  Com- 
pany, and  in  1772  was  major  of  the  3d  Bristol 
County  regiment.  On  Feb.  8,  1776.  he  was 
elected  colonel  of  this  regiment  by  the  Legis- 
lature, and  commissioned  Feb.  7th,  and  did 
good  service  during  the  Revolution.  His  prin- 
cipal military  operations  were  in  Rhode  Island, 
which  State  was  constantly  harried  and  threat- 
ened by  the  British  navy.  He  was  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Taunton  committee  of  Corre- 
spondence, Inspection  and  Safety  for  several 
years,  beginning  in  1775,  and  was  selectman  of 
"Taunton  in  1780.  His  son,  Richard  Williams, 
was  one  of  the  minute-men  of  the  company  of 
Capt.  James  Williams,  Jr.,  wbo  marched  to 
Roxbury  at  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington. 
During  the  lasl  six  months  of  1776  he  was 
serving  at  the  defense  of  Boston,  being  sergeant 
under  Capt.  Joshua  Wilbore.  He  very  likely 
served  at  other  times,  but  the  Revolutionary 
rolls  are  not  sufficiently  explicit  for  his  iden- 
tification among  the  many  soldiers  of  this  name. 


(XII)  George  Williams,  son  of  Col.  George 
and  Sarah  (Hodges),  was  born  in  Taunton 
Aug.  18,  1745,  and  died  in  Raynham  Feb.  23, 
1814.  He  married,  Oct.  2,  1766,  Bathsheba 
King,  daughter  of  Philip  and  Abigail  King. 
She  was  born  in  Raynham  March  31,  1744, 
and  died  in  Taunton  May  26,  1839.  Their 
children,  all  born  in  Raynham,  were:  Sarah, 
born  July  27,  1767;  George,  Feb.  26,  1769;  a 
son.  May  6,  1771;  Abiathar,  Jan.  8,  1773; 
Bathsheba,  Jan.  25,  1775;  Melancy,  Feb.  28, 
1777;  Francis,  Oct.  13,  1779;  Narcissus,  Sept. 
13,  1781;  Enoch,  Dec.  29,  1783;  and  Samuel 
K.,  Nov.  17,  1785.  George  Williams  was  a  man 
of  fine  personal  appearance,  according  to  the 
accounts  handed  down  in  the  family.  He  was 
a  farmer,  and  owned  a  fine  property.  While 
it  is  certain  he  served  in  the  Revolution,  it  is 
difBcult  to  pick  out  his  record  from  the  many 
of  the  same  name.  Possibly  he  served  in  New 
York  State  from  about  the  beginning  of  1776 
until  December,  being  or  becoming  a  sergeant 
in  Capt.  James  Allen's  company.  Col.  Simeon 
Carey's  regiment.  He  certainly  was  quarter- 
master of  his  father's  regii^ent  in  Rhode  Island, 
December,  1776,  and  January,  1777. 

(XIII)  Abiathar  Williams,  son  of  George 
and  Bathsheba,  was  bom  in  Raynham  Jan.  8, 
1773.  He  married  Anna  Dean,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Anna  (Strowbridge)  Dean,  and 
they  had  eleven  children,  as  follows:  Anna, 
born  Jan.  19,  1803;  Maria,  Nov.  1,  1804;  Eliza- 
beth Jane,  Sept.  1,  1806 ;  Bathsheba,  Sept.  11, 
1808;  Harriet  Dean,  Nov.  17,  1810;  Frances 
Amelia,  Jan.  30,  1813;  Abiathar  K.,  March 
11.  1815  ;  Helen  Melancy,  July  6,  1817 ;  George 
Bradford,  Nov.  7,  1819  ;  Keziah,  Nov.  28,  1821; 
and  George  Bradford  (2),  Nov.  12,  1824. 
Abiathar  Williams  was  known  as  "Capt."  Wil- 
liams. He  ran  a  sloop  from  Taunton  to  New 
York  from  the  time  he  was  fifteen  years  of 
age  till  he  was  fifty-five.  He  made  his  sons 
Abiathar  K.  and  George  B.  his  partners.  A 
successful  and  influential  citizen,  he  represented 
his  town  in  the  General  Court,  and  held  vari- 
ous local  offices.  He  died  in  June,  1856,  and 
his  wife  in  1858. 

(XIV)  Geohge  B.  Williams,  son  of  Abia- 
thar and  Anna,  was  born  Nov.  12,  1824.  He 
was  educated  in  tlie  Taunton  public  schools  and 
always  prided  himself  on  being  an  old  academy 
boy.  He  became  one  of  the  stanch  monied 
men  of  Taunton.  Starting  early  in  life  with 
a  goodly  inheritance,  he  constantly  added  to  it 
by  thrift  and  good  management  until  gradu- 
ally he  became  the  largest  real  estate  owner  in 
Taunton.  Like  his  father,  he  was  engaged  in 
the  lumber  business.     In  the  early  days  lum- 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


587 


ber  was  discharged  far  down  the  river,  and 
rafted  up,  and  Mr.  Williams  was  a  prominent 
figure  on  all  of  those  rafts  after  he  became 
old  enough  to  go  into  business.  He  became  his 
father's  partner,  and  his  name  appeared  in  the 
firm  through  all  its  changes  until  his  retire- 
ment in  1887.  He  was  a  sturdy  specimen  of 
old  New  England  stock.  He  was  quiet  and 
unpretentious  in  manner,  keen  in  business  af- 
fairs, and  strictly  honest  in  all  his  dealings. 
It  would  seem  that  no  man  could  leave  a  bet- 
ter heritage  to  his  family.  Like  his  ancestors 
he  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  First  Congre- 
gational Society  of  Taunton. 

Mr.  Williams  married  Sarah  Carver  Barstow, 
daughter  of  Charles  Carver  Barstow  and  sister 
of  the  late  Charles  M.  C.  Barstow.  They 
reared  a  large  family,  born  as  follows:  George 
B.,  July  29,  1849;  Charles  K.,  Feb.  9,  1851; 
Sarah  B.,  Sept.  4,  1852;  Frederick  B.,  Aug. 
4,  1854;  Abiathar  G.,  Feb.  4,  1856;  Enos  D., 
Oct.  30,  1857;  Charlotte  A.,  Oct.  20,  1858; 
Alice  M.,  Sept.  18,  1860 ;  Franklin  D.,  Nov.  21, 
,1861;  Enos  D.  (2),  Aug.  9,  1863;  Alfred  B., 
July  8,  1865;  Ida  L.,  Oct.  11,  1868. 


Simeon  Williams,  of  Taunton,  son  of  John 
and  Hannah   (Robinson)   Williams,  born  Feb. 

21,  1716-1717,  in  Taunton,  died  Sept.  10,  1799. 
He  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife,  Zipporah 
Crane,  of  Raynham,  whom  he  married  Aug.  86, 
1742,  died  in  Taunton  May  21,  1748.  In  1750 
he  married  (second)  Waitstill  Hodges,  born 
Dec.  21,  1723,  died  Nov.  21,  1820,  at  Taunton. 
Their  children  were:  Zipporah,  bom  Feb.  5, 
1750-51,  who  died  Oct.  28,  1812;  Lurana,  born 
Dec.  30,  1752;  Nathaniel,  born  March  29, 
1755;  Waitstill,  bom  Aug.  10,  1758,  who  died 
Sept.  16,  1776,  at  Taunton;  Hannah,  born  Jan. 

22,  1761,  who  died  Feb.  24,  1846;  Levi,  born 
Aug.  25,  1763,  who  died  Aug.  5,  l')k64;  Jemima, 
born  June  30,  1765,  who  died  Dec.  18,  1793,  at 
Raynham;  and  Cynthia,  bom  Sept.  9,  1767, 
who  died  Dec.  6,  1854. 

Deacon  Simeon  Williams  was  one  of  the 
many  members  of  the  First  Church  of  Taunton 
who  withdrew  from  the  Society  in  1792,  and 
founded  the  Westville  Congregational  Church. 
The  cause  of  the  withdrawal  was  dissatisfaction 
with  the  new  minister  selected  for  the  original 
church — dissatisfaction  which  seems  to  have 
been  well  grounded.  Deacon  Simeon  was  a 
man  of  ability,  strength  of  character  and  in- 
fluence. He  doubtless  served  in  the  French 
and  Indian  war,  for,  being  corporal  of  the  2d 
Company  (Taunton).  April  6,  1757,  according 
to  the  roster  of  that  date,  he  rose  to  be  lieuten- 
ant and  captain  of  the  company.    As  he  was  on 


the  alarm  (or  reserve)  list  Dec.  6,  1776,  he 
probably  saw  no  active  service  in  the  Revolu- 
tion. But  in  1775,  1776,  1777  and  1778,  pos- 
sibly also  other  years,  he  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Taunton  committee  of  Correspond- 
ence, Inspection  and  Safety,  whose  multifarious 
duties  included  the  discipline  and  reformation 
of  Tories,  the  care  of  confiscated  property,  the 
regulation  of  prices,  the  obtaining  of  supplies 
for  the  American  troops,  etc.  He  was  select- 
man of  Taunton  from  1760  to  1766,  in  1770 
and  in  1777. 

Nathaniel  Williams,  of  Taunton,  son  of  Dea- 
con Simeon  and  Waitstill  (Hodges),  born 
March  29,  1755,  at  Taunton,  died  there  June 
30,  1829.  He  married  April  20,  1780,  Norton 
Lucilda  Hodges,  born  May  27,  1760,  at  Norton, 
Mass.,  died  May  7,  1847,  at  Taunton.  Their 
children  were :  Lucilda,  born  May  16,  *1781, 
died  Feb.  8,  1869;  Pollv,  bom  May  2,  1783, 
died  May  30,  1860;  John,  born  Sept.  2,  1785, 
died  March  21,  1850;  Charlotte,  born  April 
26,  1789,  died  Oct.  24,  1873;  Susannah,  bom 
April  24,  1791,  died  May  13,  1884;  Philander, 
bom  Oct.  18,  1793,  died  Nov.  16,  1796; 
Amelia,  born  May  7,  1796,  died  May  17,  1838; 
Nathaniel  Hodges,  born  Nov.  11,  1798,  died 
Dec.  25,  1879;  Simeon,  bom  May  31,  1801, 
died  Aug.  10,  1847;  and  Cassander,  bom  Dec. 
9,  1804,  died  Jan.  8,  1873.  Nathaniel  Wil- 
liams was  one  of  the  minute-men  who,  at  the 
news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  marched  to- 
ward Boston  under  Capt.  Robert  Grossman. 
In  December,  1776,  and  January,  1777,  he 
served  as  corporal  under  Capt.  Samuel  Fales 
in  Rhode  Island.  In  1778  he  served  two  terms, 
aggregating  four  and  a  half  months,  as  ser- 
geant in  Rhode  Island  of  the  companies  of 
Capt.  Samuel  Fales  and  of  Capt.  Josiah  Crock- 
er. He  may  have  served  other  terms,  for  the 
name  occurs  repeatedly  in  the  records,  but  as 
in  other  cases  the  rolls  are  not  explicit  enough 
to  identify  the  different  individuals  of  the  same 
name. 

LEONARD.  The  Leonard  family  has  been 
of  note  in  this  country  since  the  coming  of  the 
two  or  three  brothers  to  the  American  colonies 
in  the  early  settlement  of  New  England,  and 
beyond  the  ocean  it  is  one  ancient  and  dis- 
tinguished. In  several  of  the  towns  of  Bristol 
county,  this  Commonwealth,  with  the  Leonards 
of  which  region  of  country  this  article  is  to  deal, 
they  as  a  faniily  with  their  allied  connections 
through  marriage  have  been  of  especial  note, 
one  historic  and  distinguished.  From  the  com- 
ing to  Taunton  of  James  and  Henry  Leon- 
ard  to   the   present   dny,   possessed   of   great 


588 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


wealth  they  have  been  one  of  the  first  families 
of  the  Commonwealth,  influential  and  pow- 
erful. 

Henry  Leonard,  who  with  his  brother  James 
established  the  forge  at  Taunton  (now  Eayn- 
ham),  was  at  Lynn  in  1655  and  1668,  and  after- 
ward carried  on  the  works  at  Eowley  village, 
which  place  he  left  early  in  1674;  and  at  that 
time,  or  soon  after,  went  to  New  Jersey, 
establishing  the  manufacture  of  iron  in  that 
State.  The  brothers,  James  and  Henry  Leon- 
ard, are  stated  by  Eev.  Doctor  Fobes,  LL.  D., 
who  more  than  a  century  ago  furnished  for  the 
Massachusetts  Historical  Collections  an  account 
of  the  Leonard  family,  to  have  been  from 
Pontypool,  County  of  Monmouth,  Wales,  which 
place  was  celebrated  for  its  working  of  iron 
at  an  early  date.  These  brothers  were  sons 
of  Tliomas  Leonard  of  Pontypool,  who  him- 
self did  not  come  to  this  country  with  his 
sons.  The  Leonards  are  believed  to  have  had 
some  claim  to  the  ownership  of  iron  works 
at  Bilston,  County  of  Stafford,  England.  At 
the  time  they  came  to  New  England  there  was 
probably  but  one  furnace  in  the  place.  At  Lynn 
and  Braintree  forges  were  established  at  an 
earlier  date  than  here  at  Eaynham,  and  James 
and  Henry  Leonard  were  connected  with  them, 
but  finally  settled  at  the  point  last  named, 
where  they  built  the  first  iron  works  in  the 
Old  Colony.  At  that  time  the  proprietors  of 
the  iron  works  at  Lynn  and  Braintree  had  a 
monopoly  by  grant  of  this  business  for  the 
Massachusetts  Colony.  Their  neighbors  were 
also  desirous  to  establish  works  of  the  kind. 
Henry  Leonard's  sons  Samuel,  Nathaniel  and 
Thomas  contracted  to  carry  on  the  works  at 
Eowley  village  after  their  father  had  left,  but 
undoubtedly  soon  followed  him  to  New  Jersey, 
where  numerous  and  highly  respected  descend- 
ants have  lived  to  within  recent  years,  and 
where  generation  after  generation  of  this  branch 
of  the  family  it  is  believed  to  at  least  within 
recent  years  have  been  more  or  less  interested 
in  their  favorite  pursuit — the  manufacture  of 
iron.  The  Leonards  were  probably  in  most 
if  not  all  of  the  iron  works  established  in  this 
country  within  the  first  century  after  its  set- 
tlement, and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the 
business  of  iron  manufacturing  has  continued 
successively,  and  generally  very  successfully,  in 
the  hands  of  the  Leonards,  or  their  descendants, 
down  to  within  comparatively  recent  years. 
Their  old  forge  at  Eaynham,  though  it  had  been 
several  times  remodeled,  had  been  in  constant 
use  for  upward  of  two  hundred  years ;  and 
some  fifty  years  ago  was  in  the  hands  of  Theo- 
dore Dean,  Esq.,  who  was  descended  from  the 


Leonards  through  his  father,  Eliab  B.  Dean, 
Esq.,  and  his  grandfather,  Hon.  Josiah  Dean,  a 
member  of  Congress,  1807-1809,  who  was  a  son 
of  Josiah  Dean  and  he  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Kingsley)  Dean,  whose  mother  was  Abigail 
Leonard. 

The  very  extensive  iron  works  at  Squabetty, 
on  Taunton  river,  which  at  one  time  belonged 
to  H.  Leonard  &  Co.,  and  were  later  incorpo- 
rated as  the  Old  Colony  Iron  Company,  were 
fifty  years  ago  carried  on  by  Messrs.  William 
A.,  Samuel  L.  and  George  A.  Crocker,  Esqs., 
who  were  descendants  of  James  Leonard 
through  their  father,  William  Crocker,  Esq., 
by  the  marriage  of  their  grandfather,  Josiah 
Crocker,  son  of  Eev.  Josiah  Crocker,  to  Abi- 
gail, daughter  of  Zephaniah  Leonard,  Esq.,  who 
was  a  son  of  Stephen. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  Leonards  are  of 
the  family  of  Lennard,  Lord  Dacre;  one  of 
the  most  distinguished  families  of  the  nobility 
in  the  United  Kingdom,  and  descended  in  two 
lines  from  Edward  III.,  through  two  of  his 
sons,  John  of  Gaunt,  Duke  of  Lancaster,  and 
Thomas  Plantagenet,  Duke  of  Gloucester;  and 
this  statement,  says  William  Eeed  Deane,  who 
prepared  the  memoir  of  the  Leonard  family 
(in  1851)  from  which  much  of  this  is  taken, 
has  some  plausibility,  he  setting  forth  facts 
upon  which  he  bases  his  conclusions. 

James  Leonard,  son  of  Thomas  of  Pontypool, 
Wales,  was  the  progenitor  of  the  Leonards  of 
Taunton,  Eaynham  and  Norton,  towns  in  Bris- 
tol county,  this  Commonwealth.  He  and  his 
sons  often  traded  with  the  Indians,  and  were 
on  such  terms  of  friendship  with  them  that 
when  the  war  broke  out  King  Philip  gave 
strict  orders  to  his  men  never  to  hurt  the 
Leonards.  Philip  resided  in  winter  at  Mount 
Hope;  but  his  summer  residence  was  at  Eayn- 
ham, about  one  mile  from  the  forge. 

The  old  Leonard  house,  which  stood  but  a 
few  rods  from  the  forge,  was  pulled  down  some 
fifty  and  more  years  ago.  A  part  of  this 
house  was  built  probably  as  early  as  1670, 
although  the  vane  upon  it  had  stenciled  or  cut 
into  it  the  year  1700.  It  had  been  occupied 
by  the  family  down  to  the  seventh  generation. 
At  the  time  the  old  house  was  demolished  it 
was  probably  the  oldest  mansion  in  New  Eng- 
land, if  not  in  the  country.  It  was  apparently 
modeled  after  an  English  fashion  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  with  some  modifications 
proper  for  defense  against  the  Indians.  This 
house  in  its  first  rude  form  was  with  another 
kept  constantly  garrisoned  during  Philip's  war. 
"In  the  cellar  under  this  house  was  deposited 
for  a  considerable  time  the  head  of  King  Philip, 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


589 


for  it  seems  that  even  King  Philip  himself 
shared  the  fate  of  kings;  he  was  decapitated 
and  his  head  carried  about  and  shown  as  a 
curiosity  by  one  Alderman,  the  Indian  who 
shot  him."  From  this  estate,  it  is  stated  in 
the  biography  of  Mrs.  Peddy  (Leonard)  Bow- 
en,  was  taken  the  timber  that  went  into  the 
keel  of  the  "Constitution." 

(I)  James  Leonard,  the  immigrant  settler  at 
Taunton,  was  dead  in  1691;  his  wife  Margaret, 
who  survived  him,  was  mother-in-law  to  all 
his  children.  She  died  about  1701.  His  chil- 
dren were :  Thomas,  born  Aug.  3, 1641 ;  James, 
born  about  1643;  Abigail;  Rebecca;  Joseph, 
born  about  1655;  Benjamin;  Hannah;  and 
Uriah. 

(II)  Benjamin  Leonard,  son  of  James,  mar- 
ried Jan.  15,  1678-79,  Sarah  Thresher,  and 
their  children  were:  Sarah,  born  May  21,  1680; 
Benjamin,  born  Jan.  25,  1682;  Hannah,  born 
Nov.  8,  1685;  Jerusha,  born  June  25,  1689; 
Hannah  (2),  born  Dec.  8,  1691;  Joseph,  born 
Jan.  22,  1692-93;  and  Henry,  born  Nov.  8, 
1695. 

(III)  Joseph  Leonard,  son  of  Benjamin, 
born  Jan.  22,  1692-93,  had  children:  George, 
who  lived  in  Middleboro,  Mass.;  Chloe; 
Ephraim,  and  Philip.  Of  these,  Chloe  married 
Eliphalet  Elmes,  of  Middleboro,  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution  who  died  in  1830,  aged  seventy- 
seven  years;  she  died  in  1843,  aged  eighty- 
three.  Ephraim  married  Mary  Pratt,  and  lived 
in  Middleboro ;  his  children  were  :  James  (of 
Middleboro),  Jane  (wife  of  L.  0.  Perkins,  of 
Boston),  Sarah  (wife  of  Orlando  Thompson, 
of  New  Bedford)  and  Betsey  (wife  of  J.  Drake, 
of  Boston). 

(IV)  Capt.  Philip  Leonard,  son  of  Joseph, 
married  Jan.  6,  1737,  Mary  Richmond, 
daughter  of  Josiah  Richmond.  Captain  Leon- 
ard had  his  forge  at  what  is  now  called  the 
tack  factory  on  the  railroad  between  Middle- 
boro and   Taunton. 

(V)  George  Leonard,  son  of  Capt.  Philip, 
born  in  Middleboro,  always  lived  in  his  native 
town.  He  had  his  bloomery  on  the  Nemasket 
river  at  Pour  Corners.  He  married  Mary  Al- 
len, born  Sept.  21,  1760,  and  their  children 
were :  George ;  Samuel ;  Nehemiah ;  Lois,  mar- 
ried to  Rev.  Lewis  Leonard,  of  Cazenovia,  N. 
Y. ;  and  Emeline,  married  to  Thomas  Daggett, 
Esq.,  of  Middleboro.  Nehemiah  had  been  in 
business  at  Middleboro,  and  then  he  bought  the 
forge  at  Randy's  Mills  in  Rochester,  and  he 
and  his  brother  George  carried  it  on  in  partner- 
ship some  four  or  five  years,  when  George 
bought  his  interest  and  continued  the  'business 
alone  the  rest  of  his  life.     Nehemiah  located 


in  New  Bedford  in  1822,  beginning  business 
on  Orange  street.  He  prospered  and  in  five  or 
six  years  was  a  director  in  the  Merchants'  Bank, 
and  agent  for  several  whale  ships.  He  drifted 
into  the  manufacture  of  oil,  and  in  1836  built 
candle  works  on  Rotch's  South  (familiarly 
known  as  Leonard's)  Wharf,  carrying  on  this 
business  for  thirty  years.  He  died  Oct.  25, 
1869. 

(VI)  Samuel  Leonard,  son  of  George,  was 
born  in  Middleboro.  In  1814  he  married  Han- 
nah Taber,  born  in  New  Bedford,  daughter 
of  Benjamin  Taber,  and  their  children  were: 
Henry  Taber;  Bathsheba,  who  married  Na- 
thaniel Gilbert,  of  Bridgewater;  Samuel,  Jr., 
who  married  Sarah  Tobey,  daughter  of  George 
and  Keziah  (Sherman)  Tobey;  Capt.  John  W., 
who  married  Sylvia  Tucker;  George,  who  mar- 
ried Cynthia  Washburn;  Thomas  W.,  who 
married  Sarah  Schenck;  and  Mary  A.,  who 
married  Peleg  Akin,  a  bank  president  of  South 
Yarmouth.  Shortly  after  his  marriage  Sam- 
uel Leonard  and  his  father-in-law  contracted 
to  build  a  mill  building  at  the  Head-of-the- 
River.  Through  thii  came  acquaintance  with 
William  Rotch,  Jr.-  For  a  short  time  Mr. 
Leonard  was  at  Yai  louth  erecting  salt  works, 
and  starting  the  business,  and  after  his  return 
to  New  Bedford  he  built  extensive  salt  works 
at  the  Cove  for  Messrs.  Rotch,  Arnold  and 
Russell,  these  works  eventually  covering  many 
acres,  and  he  operated  the  works  as  long  as 
they  were  profitable.  He  erected  the  house 
now  occupied  by  the  Orphans'  Home,  at  the 
corner  of  Brock  avenue  and  Cove  street. 
Through  purchasing  the  lumber  for  his  ex- 
tensive building  operations  he  became  inter- 
ested in  the  lumber  business,  and  Mr.  Rotch 
built  what  is  known  as  Leonard's  wharf  for  the 
business  which  so  rapidly  grew.  Mr.  Leonard 
added  a  planing-mill  and  other  works.  He  then 
began  the  manufacture  of  sperm  candles,  and 
after  a  fire  had  destroyed  all  his  and  his 
brother's  works,  built  the  candle  works  of  Wil- 
liam Russell  (now  the  carriage  factory  of  the 
George  L.  Brovraell  estate).  He  was  the  largest 
oil  refiner  in  the  world,  and  was  the  first  to 
make  the  colored  wax  candles  used  all  over 
the  world.  He  was  a  very  important  factor 
in  the  commercial  life  of  New  Bedford.  At 
the  time  of  the  building  of  the  New  Bedford 
and  Taunton  railroad,  it  was  said  that  his 
freighting  was  one  and  one-half  times  greater 
than  all  other  freights  from  New  Bedford  com- 
bined. He  died  Oct.  25,  1868,  and  his  widow 
Oct.  14,  1875. 

(VII)  Hemut  Taber  Leonard  (son  of 
Samnel),  for  seventeen  years,  fifteen  days  the 


590 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


faithful  and  efficient  clerk  of  the  city  of  New 
Bedford,  was  born  Aug.  17,  1818,  in  South  Yar- 
mouth. In  the  public  schools  of  his  dative  town 
and  in  the  Friends'  Boarding  School  at  Provi- 
dence his  education  was  acquired.  He  became 
a  clerk  in  Seth  Akin's  store,  first,  but  subse- 
quently was  associated  with  his  father.  Later 
he  went  to  New  York,  and  became  a  partner 
in  the  firm  of  Wetherell,  Sprague  &  Co.,  oil 
and  iron  merchants  who  were  connected  with 
Samuel.  Leonard  and  Lazell,  Perkins  &  Co.,  of 
New  Bedford.  Mr.  Leonard  finally  withdrew 
from  this  concern,  and  returning  to  New  Bed- 
ford engaged  in  the  lumber  business  with 
Augustus  A.  Greene,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Leonard  &  Greene.  He  made  a  number  of 
business  changes,  being  several  times  in  the 
oil  business  with  his  father  and  brother  Samuel, 
either  as  partner  or  bookkeeper,  engaging  in 
the  manufacture  of  cotton  with  his  father  at 
Suncook,  N.  H.  He  joined  the  fortune  hunt- 
ers in  the  rush  to  California  in  1849,  and  on  his 
return  east  conducted  a  lumber  yard  in  Charles- 
town,  Mass.,  afterward  reengaging  in  the  oil 
business  at  New  Bedforc^,  as  the  head  of  the 
firm  of  Leonard,  Sturtey'nt  &  Co.  Upon  the 
dissolution  of  this  partn\.'-ship  he  returned  to 
the  oflice  of  his  father.  On  the  death  of  Sau- 
ford  S.  Horton,  in  1862,  he  was  elected  clerk 
for  the  city  of  New  Bedford,  which  office  he 
filled  until  his  death,  July  18,  1879.  His  in- 
telligence, unblemished  character,  faithfulness 
to  duty,  geniality  and  quiet  manliness  secured 
for  him  universal  esteem  and  continued  re- 
election as  city  clerk  during  violent  political 
changes,  he  never  having  any  opposition.  He 
also  served  one  year  as  a  member  of  the  school 
committee. 

Mr.  Leonard  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  a  man  of  unswerving  religious  con- 
viction and  strict  conscientiousness,  and  was 
without  an  enemy.  In  1841  he  married  De- 
borah Allen  Butler,  daughter  of  Daniel  But- 
ler, of  New  Bedford.  She  died  Dec.  16,  1901. 
Their  children  were:  Robert  Taber,  Daniel 
Butler,  Gertrude  Hoyer,  Henry  Allen,  Mary 
L.,  Roland  Allen,  Milton  H.  and  Mary  Butler- 

(VIII)  Daniel  Butler  Leonard,  son  of 
Henry  T.,  born  in  New  Bedford  April  6,  1844, 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  na- 
tive town  and  in  the  private  school  conducted 
by  Prof.  John  Boadle,  an  Englishman.  Under 
the  latter  gentleman  he  also  received  private 
instruction  in  contemplation  of  a  college  course, 
but  instead  of  entering  college  went  in  1860 
to  New  York  City  as  bookkeeper  for  his  uncle, 
Thomas  W.  Leonard.  After  a  short  time  he 
was  made  a  partner  in  the  business,  which  asso- 


ciation continued  for  about  four  years.  He 
then  returned  to  New  Bedford  and  became  an 
employee  in  the  city  treasurer's  office  for  a 
year.  He  then  received  a  commission  as  assist- 
ant assessor  of  internal  revenue  under  Charles 
G.  Davis,  assessor-at-large  for  the  district,  for 
a  term  of  three  years.  Upon  the  consolida- 
tion of  the  district  he  retired  from  the  posi- 
tion. He  was  next  commissioned  by  the  county 
commissioners  to  copy  the  old  town  proprietary 
records,  which  he  finished,  and  they  are  now  on 
file  in  the  office  of  the  register  of  deeds  for 
the  New  Bedford  district.  For  the  next  nine 
or  ten  years  he  was  employed  by  the  A.  &  W. 
Sprague  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  continuing  with  the  trustee,  Zach- 
ariah  Chaffee,  after  the  Sprague  failure.  He  be- 
gan with  the  Spragues  as  clerk  and  finally  be- 
came buying  agent  for  the  company.  Upon  the 
expiration  of  this  service  he  entered  the  employ 
of  the  Silver  Spring  Bleaching  and  Dyeing 
Company  of  Providence,  ex-Gov.  Henry  Lippett 
being  treasurer,  and  remained  there  until  the 
year  of  his  father's  death,  when  he  returned  to 
New  Bedford.  He  was  first  appointed  city 
clerk  under  the  administration  of  Mayor  Wil- 
liam T.  Soule  May  8,  1879,  and  elected  the 
following  October.  He  was  reelected  annually 
from  April,  1880,  to  April,  1902,  when  he  was 
elected  for  a  term  of  three  years,  and  was  re- 
elected in  1905  and  1908,  making  a  term  of 
thirty-one  years,  or  forty-eight  years  that  this 
office  was  filled  by  father  and  son.  Mr.  Leon- 
ard was  the  best  known  of  any  of  the  city 
officials,  because  of  his  long  contimious  service, 
and  he  was  one  of  the  best  informed  men  in 
the  State  on  municipal  laws,  his  opinion  be- 
ing frequently  sought  in  complicated  matters 
of  a  legal  nature.  Hi§  death  occurred  March 
13,  1911,  in  his  sixty-seventh  year.  Mr.  Leon- 
ard never  took  an  active  part  in  public  rnat- 
ters.  He  was  a  Republican  in  political  be- 
lief. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Leonard  belonged  to  R.  A. 
Pierce  Post,  No.  190,  G.  A.  R.,  of  New  Bed- 
ford, having  enlisted  during  the  Civil  war  in 
Company  E,  3d  Massachusetts  Regiment;  he 
was  at  once  transferred  to  the  commissary  de- 
partment of  the  State.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias;  of  Acushnet  Lodge, 
I.  0.  0.  F.,  of  New  Bedford,  in  which  he  was 
the  fourth  oldest  member ;  of  Star  in  the  East 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  of  Adoniram  Chapter, 
R.  A.  M. ;  of  New  Bedford  Council,  R.  &  S.  M. ; 
and  of  Sutton  Commandery,  No.  16,  K.  T. 

Mr.  Leonard  married  July  28,  1869,  Char- 
lotte E;  Howard.    They  had  no  children. 

(VIII)  Dr.  Milton  Hall  Leonard,  son  of 


^*i 


%*^ 


iff'-TA^^ 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


591 


Henry  T.,  born  in  New  Bedford  April  17,  1857, 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  that  town 
and  was  prepared  for  college  under  Betsy  B. 
Winslow.  He  entered  the  medical  department 
of  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York 
in  1876,  and  graduated  therefrom  in  1879.  He 
began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  New  Bed- 
ford in  March,  1879,  and  has  been  thus  en- 
gaged for  more  than  thirty  years.  His  practice 
extends  to  the  neighboring  cities  of  Providence, 
R.  I.,  Fall  River,  etc.  He  has  made  a  specialty 
of  obstetrics.  For  three  or  four  years  he  was 
physician  to  the  town  of  Dartmouth,  and  for 
sixteen  years  was  county  physician.  Profes- 
sionally he  is  a  member  of  the  American  Medi- 
cal Association;  the  Massachusetts  Medical  So- 
ciety; Boston  Medical  Library  Association; 
New  Bedford  Medical  Society,  and  the  Bristol 
South  District  Medical  Society  (a  branch  of 
the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society),  of  which 
he  has  been  president.  He  belongs  to  the 
I.  0.  0.  F.  In  his  political  faith  he  is  a  Re- 
publican. 

On  Sept.  13,  1882,  Dr.  Leonard  was  mar- 
ried to  Sarah  Parthenia  GafEord,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Sarah  Jane  (Longley)  Gafford,  of 
Virginia.  On  her  father's  side  she  is  related 
to  the  Lees  of  Virginia.  She  is  a  great-grtod- 
daughter  of  Parthenia  Webster,  sister  to  Pele- 
tiah  Webster,  one  of  Washington's  financial 
advisers  and  a  Congressman  from  Pennsylvania. 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Leonard  have  no  children. 

WILLIAM  PERRY  HOOD,  for  more  than 
half  a  century  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
representative  men  of  Somerset,  was  born  in 
Providence,  R.  I.,  June  16,  1825,  son  of  David 
B.  and  Mary  Ann  (Brown.)  Hood,  the  latter 
a  daughter  of  John  and  Sally  Brown. 

Noble  Hood,  great-grandfather  of  William 
Perry,  was  born  Aug.  16,  1748.  He  married 
Hannah  Perry.  He  served  as  private  in  the 
Revolutionary  army  in  Colonel  Carpenter's 
regiment.  He  was  the  father  of  five  cliildren, 
viz. :  Lydia,  born  April  7,  1773,  died  March  26, 
1846;  John,  bom  March  23,  1775.  died  Oct.  12, 
1859;  William,  born  Sept.  17,  1776,  died  Dec. 
31,  1863;  Martha,  born  in  1780,  died  in  1846; 
Noble,  Jr.,  was  born  April  1,.  1781. 

John  Hood,  son  of  Noble,  was  born  March  23, 
1775,  and  died  Oct.  12,  1859.  He  married 
Mary  Ann  Bowers,  who  died  March  28,  1847. 
They  had  twelve  children:  John,  bom  in 
1796,  who  died  in  1836;  William;  George  B., 
born  Nov.  10,  1799,  who  died  Jan.  22,  1871; 
David  B.,  born  Jan.  12,  1802,  who  died  June  6, 
1871;  Mary,  bom  Oct.  22,  1803,  who  died 
Feb.  5,  1843;  Nancy,  born  in  1805,  who  died 


in  1880;  Barton  Quincy,  born  Oct.  23,  1807; 
Rachel,  born  Jan.  17,  1812,  who  died  March  7, 
1887;  Rebecca  F.,  born  Feb.  10,  1813,  who 
died  Feb.  15,  1897  (she  married  William  G. 
Gardiner)  ;  James  Madison,  born  in  1815,  who 
died  May  20,  1871;  Sophia,  born  April  2,  1817, 
who  died  MaT^15,  1891 ;  and  Elouisa  M.,  born 
Jan.  11,  182™who  died  March  16,  1909. 

David  B.  Hood,  son  of  John  Hood,  was  born 
Jan.  12,  1802.  He  married  Mary  Ann  Brown, 
daughter  of  John  and  Sally  Brown.  He  was 
a  merchant  by  trade.  He  had  four  children, 
viz. :  William'  P. ;  David  B.,  who  died  in  1832, 
when  about  three  years  of  age ;  Alfred  H.,  now 
living  in  California;  and  David  B.  (2),  now 
living  in  Somerset. 

His  father  being  a  merchant  and  business 
taking  him  on  frequent  trips  to  the  Southern 
States,  young  William  P.  Hood  would  be  left 
in  charge  of  the  business  with  responsibilities 
unusual  for  one  so  young  in  years.  A  man's 
mature  Judgment  and  thoughtfulness  seem  to 
have  possessed  the  boy  of  fourteen  to  such  an 
extent  that  the  business  went  right  along  under 
his  management.  The  one  absorbing  principle 
of  liis  life,  self-reliance,  was  early  implanted. 
Thus  actuated  he  left  home  at  the  early  age  of 
fifteen  to  try  the  world  for  himself.  He  worked 
first  at  any  kind  of  employment  he  could  get 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  at  last  he  took  up 
fire,  marine  and  life  insurance.  In  this  he  was 
eminently  successful,  so  much  so  that  he  con- 
tinued it  as  a  side  line  to  every  other  under- 
taking that  he  entered  into. 

Coming  to  Somerset  in  early  boyhood  Mr. 
Hood  showed  special  business  capacity.  He 
became  a  clerk,  then  the  cpnfidential  clerk  and 
business  manager  for  the  late  James  M.  Hood, 
who  was  a  successful  shipbuilder  from  1850  to 
1854.  To  follow  him  through  the  many  and 
diversified  undertakings  he  carried  through 
successfully,  without  a  single  failure,  would 
take  a  long  time.  For  twenty-five  years  he 
was  a  commercial  traveler  for  the  Seavey  Com- 
pany, of  Boston,  selling  all  over  New  England, 
never  stopping  for  hard  times,  but  meeting 
circumstances  of  that  nature  with  renewed 
energy  and  determination.  In  1854  with  others 
he  organized  and  incorporated  the  Boston  Stove 
Foundry  Company,  at  Somerset,  and  for  some 
years  was  its  treasurer. 

But  it  must  not  be  taken  for  granted  that 
the  life  of  a  commercial  traveler  or  successful 
stove  manufacturer  filled  up  the  scope  of  Mr. 
Hood's  operations.  On  the  contrary  he  early 
invested  in  shipping,  carried  shares  in  a  number 
of  vessels,  and  was  interested  in  eighteen  vessels 
which  have  gone  down  at  various  times.     He 


592 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


was  interested  in  the  merchant  marine,  and 
owned  a  large  interest  in  the  five-masted 
schooner  "Gov.  Ames."  For  many  years  he 
was  one  of  the  principal  owners  of  the  Somer- 
set shipyards,  making  his  first  venture  in  real 
estate  in  1844  with  a  beginning  of  only  $40 
becoming  the  largest  individual  property  owner 
in  the  village  of  Somerset.  He  owned  one  of 
the  best  farms  in  the  county,  and  in  it  took 
special  pride. 

About  the  year  1892  Mr.  Hood  purchased 
the  property  of  the  Cooperative  Foundry  Com- 
pany, and  with  John  D.  Flint,  Frank  S.  Stevens 
and  others  formed  the  Somerset  Stove  Foundry 
'Company,  of  which  he  was  chosen  the  treas- 
urer and  general  manager,  in  which  capacity 
he  acted  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hood  was  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican, and  for  many  years  he  was  chairman  of 
the  Republican  town  committee.  For  many 
years  he  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  select- 
men and  assessors  of  the  town,  having  as  as- 
sociates most  of  the  time  William  Lawton  Slade 
and  the  venerable  Capt.  Alfred  Pratt.  In  1861 
he  represented  his  district  in  the  General  Court. 
Though  not  a  church  member,  Mr.  Hood  was 
alwavs  closely  identified  with  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  and  contributed  liberally  to  its  main- 
tenance. He  was  a  social  man,  and  one  of  the 
most  genial  to  meet  in  business,  in  his  home, 
or  in  social  circles.  Though  often  engaged 
in  the  heated  contests  of  town  matters  he  never 
bore  any  ill  will  toward  anyone,  and  the  man 
who  had  opposed  him  one  day  in  a  sharp  con- 
test for  town  honors,  or  in  the  advocacy  of 
tovra  matters,  found  in  him  the  following  day 
a  genial  friend  and  well  wisher.  This  trait  of 
character  means  more  in  a  small  country  town, 
where  matters  are  drawn  on  sharp  lines  and 
political  grudges  not  always  forgotten,  than  it 
does  in  a  city.  In  his  home  he  was  pleasant, 
social  and  hospitable.  His  life  was  upright  and 
moral  in  every  respect,  temperate,  just  and 
honest.  Cordial  in  all  his  dealings,  he  was  the 
adviser  and  well  wisher  of  all  who  sought  his 
advice  on  any  matters.  When  the  dark  cloud 
of  adversity  years  ago  began  hovering  over  the 
town  of  Somerset,  he  of  all  others  tried  to  stay 
its  progress,  and  freely  and  willingly  invested 
his  money  in  local  enterprises  and  real  estate, 
even  though  his  better  judgment  assured  him 
it  might  not  be  wise  from  a  financial  stand- 
point. Fraternally  he  was  a  Mason,  being  a 
charter  member  of  Tioneer  Lodge  of  Somer- 
set, and  he  also  belonged  to  a  Royal  Arch  Chap- 
ter of  Fall  River. 

In  1843  Mr.  Hood  married  Sarah  A.  Davis, 
daughter    of    Deacon    Nathan    and    Clarissa 


(Bowen)  Davis.    They  had  ten  children,  as  fol- 
lows: 

(1)  Mary  E.,  born  July  20,  1844,  married 
William  H.  Tallman,  and  died  June  17,  1907, 
the  mother  of  five  children,  Marianna  (mar- 
ried William  A.  Padelford),  Sadie  E.  (mar- 
ried F.  N.  Reed,  of  North  Dighton),  Helen  R., 
Alfred  W.  and  Annie  A. 

(2)  William  P.,  Jr.,  born  Jan.  15,  1846, 
married  Julia  A.  Gardner,  and  had  two  chil- 
dren, Lillie  A.  (married  Frank  B.  Hood)  and 
Bernice  (married  A.  H.  Plant,  of  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.).     He  died  Jan.  20,  1906. 

(3)  Clarence  T.,  born  May  25,  1848,  died 
in  infancy. 

(4)  Sarah  F.,  born  July  26,  1849,  died 
Feb.  17,  1851. 

(5)  Sarah  F.  (2),  born  May  3,  1851,  mar- 
ried William  0.  Sweet,  of  Attleboro,  Mass., 
Oct.  3,  1869.  They  had  four  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Florence  Eliza,  born  Aug.  3,  1870,  died 
Feb.  20,  1879;  Frank  Royden,  born  Oct.  3, 
1880,  is  to-day  one  of  the  most  successful  manu- 
facturers in  Attleboro  (he  married  Harriet 
Pitman,  of  Mansfield) ;  William  Raymond,  born 
Feb.  5,  1886,  is  a  machinist  engaged  in  manu- 
facturing tools  for  making  jewelry;  Howard 
Leslie,  born  Jan.  27,  1892,  works  in  Attleboro 
in  the  factory  of  his  brother  Frank. 

(6)  Annie  A.,  born  March  8,  1853,  died 
Aug.  11,  1898.  She  was  married  to  Henry  B. 
Leonard,  treasurer  of  the  Mount  Hope  Iron 
Company,  March  9,  1875,  and  died  Feb.  26, 
1904.  They  had  five  children,  as  follows: 
Ralph  Emerson,  born  Dec.  9,  1875,  died  Aug. 
8,  1894;  Ethel  Bernice,  born  Dec.  10,  1877, 
married  June  15,  1898,  Raymond  S.  Case; 
Gertrude  Field  was  born  July  12,  1880;  May 
Adelaide,  born  May  1,  1883,  married  George 
Chapman,  of  Boston ;  Russell  Henry,  born  Oct. 
4,  1888,  now  in  the  employ  of  the  United  States 
Government  with  reference  to  tariff  matters, 
married  Sept.  19,  1911,  Helen  Case,  of  Spring- 
field, Massachusetts. 

(7)  Alfred  H.  was  born  in  Somerset,  Mass., 
April  19,  1855.  During  the  winters  of  1870-71 
and  1873  he  attended  commercial  college  in  Fall 
River,  and  from  the  fall  of  1874  to  December, 
1875,  the  Peirce  Academy  in  Middleboro.  In 
1877  he  graduated  from  Worcester  Academy, 
and  in  1881  from  Brown  University,  with  the 
degree  of  A.  B.  He  was  a  classmate  of  Justice 
Charles  E.  Hughes,  of  the  United  States 
Supreme  court,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Delta 
Upsilon  fraternity.  In  early  manhood  he  be- 
came associarted  with  his  father  in  the  insur- 
ance business  as  William  P.  Hood  &  Son,  and 
while  in  academy  and  college  had  full  charge 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS  593 

of  that  business  and  of  the  farm.     Selecting  native  town.    Like  her  father  and  her  mother, 

the  law  as  his  profession  he  attended  Boston  her  face  was  implacably  set  against  every  form 

University   Law    School    graduating    in    1883,  of    intemperance,    and    she    did    whatever    she 

and  since  that  time  has  practiced  in  Fall  Eiver.  could  toward   raising  the   social   standards   of 

On  Jan.  1,  1887,  he  became  a  member  of  the  the  town.     Perhaps  no  house  in  the  town  was 

law  firm  of  Lincoln  &  Hood.  more  open  to  hospitaility  and  good  cheer  than 

Mr.  Hood  is  president  of  the  Somerset  Stove  hers,  and   at   the  farm   which   was   her  home 

Foundry  Company,  and  director  and  attorney  for  more  than  fifty  years  probably  more  husking 

for  the  Fall  River  Cooperative  Bank.  bees  and  other  forms  of  sociability  on  a  large 

In  politics  Mr.  Hood  is  a  Republican.     His  scale  took  place  than  elsewhere  in  the  county, 

fraternal  connection  is  with  Pioneer  Lodge  of  No   one  seeking  aid   in  a  good  cause,  or  for 

Somerset    and    Royal    Arch    Masons    of    Fall  charity's  sake,  was  ever  turned  away  from  her 

River.     He  is  interested  in  the  moral  welfare  home  empty-handed.     Mrs.  Hood  provided  in 

of  the  town,  and  has  been  an  active  worker  in  her  will  that  a  public  library  to  be  known  as 

the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  of  Fall  River.     Spring  Hill  the  Hood  Library,  in  memory  of  her  husband, 

Farm  in  Somerset,  where  Mr.  Hood  now  re-  William  P.  Hood,  should  be  erected  in  Somer- 

sides,  which  was  the  homestead  of  his  parents,  set,  and  this  library  was  dedicated  Oct.  1,  1910. 
is  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  Bristol  county. 

On  April  14,  1885,  at  Somerset,  Mass.,  Mr.  WASHBURN  (Taunton  family).    For,  per- 

Hood  married  Carrie  W.  Ridlon,  daughter  of  haps,  nearly  a  century  there  have  lived  several 

Almond  S.  and  Carrie  C.    (Gardner)    Ridlon.  generations  of  the  Washburn  family  at  Taun- 

They  have  had  four  children,  viz. :  Ruth,  born  ton,  descendants  of  a  progenitor  many  of  whose 

July  4,  1888,  who  died  July  7,  1888;  Preston  posterity  have  filled   high   and   honorable   po- 

Hart,  born  Aug.  9,  1889,  who  is  a  student  at  sitions  in  society,  in  civil  and  military  affairs, 

Brown  University;  Mildred  Davis,  born  Oct.  in  New  England  and  elsewhere;  not  excepting 

29,  1891;  and  Harold  Gardiner,  born  June  5,  the  Taunton  branch,  a  member  of  that  family 

1897.  having  since  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  been 

(8)  Lydia  F.,  bom  May  24,  1856,  was  mar-  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  his  community, 
ried  Nov.  24,  1881,  to  Edward  J.  Holland,  and  rising  to  commendable  rank  in  the  service  of 
had  one  child,  Clifford  Milburn,  born  March  his  country  and  to  high  position  in  civil  affairs, 
13,  1883.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Harvard  Col-  in  which  a  continued  public  service  in  one  de- 
lege  and  now  in  the  employ  of  the  Pennsylvania  partment  of  approximately  thirty  years  estab- 
Railroad  Company  as  civil  engineer  in  bridge  lished  for  him  a  record  and  reputation  which 
and  tunnel  work,  in  New  York  City.  made  his  election  as  president  of  one  of  the 

(9)  Nellie  R.,  born  Aug.  21,  1860,  died  Taunton  banking  institutions  desirable.  Refer- 
March  18,  1879.  ence  is  made  to  Capt.  George  Albert  Washburn, 

(10)  Thomas  H.,  born  Oct.  18,  1866,  died  who  for  a  decade  was  the  chief  executive  officer 
March  11,  1883.  of  the  Taunton   National   Bank;   and  two  of 

Mr.  William  P.  Hood  died  in  Somerset  Nov.  whose  sons  are  now  well  established  in  pro- 

4,  1899.    In  his  will  he  gave  $500  to  the  town  fessional  life  in  their  native  city — Dr.  Elliott 

of  Somerset,   and  this   with  other  funds   fur-  Washburn    and    Charles    Godfrey    Washburn, 

nished  by  his  widow  erected  the  public  drink-  members  respectively  of  the  medical  and  legal 

ing  fountain  in  Somerset.    He  also  gave  $1,000  professions:    and    to    Eli    King    Washburn,    a 

to  the  First  Baptist  Church.  sturdy  Abolitionist  and  temperance  worker,  and 

Mrs.  Sarah  A.   (Davis)   Hood,  wife  of  Wil-  his  son,  Thomas  J.  Washburn,  who  as  a  "forty- 

liam  P.  Hood,  was  born  in  Somerset,  Mass.,  niner"  sought  his  fortune  for  some  years  in  Cal- 

Dec.  7,  1826,  and  died  at  her  home  there  Nov.  ifornia. 

3,  1905.    She  was  a  daughter  of  Deacon  Nathan        This    Taunton    Washburn    family    descends 

Davis  and  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  from    (1)    John  Washburn,  who  according  to 

best  known  families  of  the  town.     Like  her  tradition  was  the  secretary  of  the  Massachusetts 

husband  she  was  interested  in  everything  that  Company,  or,  as  it  is  put  by  another,  the  first 

affected  the  community.     She  was  a  member  secretary  of  the  council  of  Plymouth  in  Eng- 

of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of  which  her  fa-  land,  in  which  position  he  was  succeeded  by 

ther,   Nathan   Davis,   was   for  many  years   a  William  Burgess  in  1628.     Mr._  Washburn  is 

deacon  and  prominent  supporter.     From  early  of  record  at  Duxbury  in  1632,  in  which  year 

childhood  up   to  within   a  few   years  of  her  he  was  taxed.     He  bought  property  there  in 

death,  Mrs.  Hood  had  been  actively  interested  1634-35.     He  was  made  a  freeman  June  2, 

in  all  the  various  phases  of  social'  life  in  her  1646.    He  is  said  to  have  been  in  the  military 

38 


594 


SOUTHEASTERN"  MASSACHUSETTS 


company  commanded  by  Capt.  Myles  Standish. 
In  about  1665  he  removed  to  Bridgewater,  of 
which  town  he  and  his  son  John  were  orig- 
inal proprietors,  and  they  and  Philip  became 
residents  and  settlers  in  South  Bridgewater. 
His  wife  Margery,  aged  forty-nine  years,  with 
sons  John,  aged  fourteen  years,  Philip,  aged 
eleven  years,  came  to  New  England  in  1635  in 
the  "Elizabeth  and  Ann,"  being  certified  from 
Eversham,  Worcestershire,  England.  The  chil- 
dren of  John  and  Margery  Washburn  were : 
John  (2),  born  in  Eversham,  England,  about 
1621 ;  and  Philip,  bom  in  Eversham,  about 
162-1,  who  died  unmarried. 

This  John  Washburn  (2)  is  the  "ancestor 
of  most  if  not  all  of  the  name  in  the  United 
States."  From  John,  through  his  son  Samuel, 
came  Israel,  late  governor  of  Maine;  Cadwala- 
der  C,  who  in  the  early  seventies  was  gov- 
ernor of  Wisconsin;  Elihu  B.,  at  one  time 
minister  to  France;  and  Charles  A.,  a  former 
minister  to  Paraguay — all  brothers  and  sLxth 
in  descent  from  John  Washburn.  And  from 
John  through  his  son  Joseph  came  Emory 
Washburn,  former  governor  of  Massachusetts, 
fifth  in  descent  from  John;  William  B.  Wash- 
burn, also  former  governor  of  Massachusetts, 
sixth  in  descent  from  John,  and  the  late 
Peter  Thacher  Washburn,  former  governor 
of  Vermont,  sixth  in  descent  from  John. 
The  latter,  Hon.  Peter  Thacher  Washburn, 
says  his  biographer,  "became  one  of  the  most 
marked  characters  that  have  figured  in  the 
politics  of  Vermont."  Liberally  educated,  a 
graduate  of  Dartmouth  with  the  class  of  1835, 
he  became  a  lawyer  of  ability;  was  from  1844 
to  1855  reporter  of  decisions  of  the  Supreme 
court  of  Vermont;  served  as  lieutenant  colonel 
on  the  1st  Vermont  Volunteers  in  the  early 
part  of  the  Civil  war,  and  was  elected  governor 
of  Vermont  in  September,  1871. 

Israel  Washburn,  of  Raynham,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  convention  which  framed  the  con- 
stitution of  Massachusetts  in  1780.  [See  be- 
low.] 

(II)  John  Washburn  (2),  son  of  John  and 
Margery,  was  born  in  Eversham,  England, 
about  1621.  He  came  to  Duxbury  with  his 
mother  and  brother  Philip  (aged  eleven)  in 
1635.  He  is  mentioned  in  the  Plymouth  rec- 
ords in  December,  1638.  He  served  as  agent 
for  the  Narragansett  Indians  in  1645.  On  Dec. 
6,  1645,  in  Duxbury,  he  married  Elizabeth 
Mitchell,  daughter  of  Experience  Mitchell,  one 
of  the  forefathers  of  the  Colony,  who  was  with 
the  Pilgrims  at  Leyden,  and  who  came  to  Ply- 
mouth on  the  third  ship,  the  "Anne,"  in  1623. 
Experience    Mitchell     married     Jane     Cooke, 


daughter  of  Francis  Cooke,  the  "Mayflower" 
Pilgrim.  To  John  and  Elizabeth  Washburn 
were  born  children  as  follows :  John  mar- 
ried Rebeckah  Lapham;  Thomas  married 
(first)  Abigail  Leonard  and  (second)  Deliver- 
ance Packard;  Joseph  married  Hannah  La- 
tham; Samuel,  born  in  1651,  married  Deborah 
Packard;  Jonathan  married  Mary  Vaughn,  of 
Middleboro,  Mass. ;  Benjamin  died  in  Phipps's 
expedition  against  Canada ;  Mary  married  Sam- 
uel Kinsley  in  1694;  Elizabeth  married  (first) 
James  Howard  and  (second)  Edward  Sealey; 
Jane  married  William  Orcutt,  Jr. ;  James  mar- 
ried Mary  Bowden  in  1693 ;  and  Sarah  married 
John  Ames  in  1697.  John  Washburn  (2),  the 
father,  died  at  Bridgewater  before  1690. 

(III)  Jonathan  Wa.shburn,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Elizabeth  (Mitchell),  married  about  1683 
Mary,  daughter  of  George  Vaughn,  of  Middle- 
boro, and  their  children  were :  Elizabeth,  born 
1684,  who  marfied  John  Benson  in  1710; 
Josiah,  born  1686 ;  Benjamin,  bom  1688 ;  Eb- 
enezer,  born  1690;  Martha,  born  1692;  Joanna, 
born  1693;  Nathan,  born  1699;  Jonathan,  born 
1700;  and  Cornelius,  born  1702. 

(IV)  Benjamin  Washburn,  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Mary,  born  in  1688,  married  in  1714  Be- 
thiah,  daughter  of  Henry  Kingman.  He  set- 
tled his  father  Jonathan's  estate  in  1725,  and 
his  brother  Ebenezer's  in  1728.  His  children 
were:  Isaac,  Jonathan,  Henry,  Benjamin 
(married  in  1742  Susanna  Battles),  Ezra,  and 
perhaps  others.  Isaac  Washburn  went  to  Dart- 
mouth, where  he  was  a  tanner.  He  enlisted  in 
the  French  war  under  General  Winslow  in 
1755.  Bethiah  Washburn  married  Nehemiah 
Bryant  in   1741. 

(V)  Jonathan  Washburn,  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Bethiah  (Kingman),  married  Judith, 
daughter  of  Elnathan  Wood,  of  Middleboro, 
Mass.  Their  children  were :  Jonathan,  Ben- 
jamin, Isaac,  Salmon,  and  perhaps  others. 

(VI)  Isaac  Washburn,  son  of  Jonathan  and 
Judith  (Wood),  came  from  Middleboro  to 
Taunton  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  century  but 
recently  closed,  and  through  life  was  one  of 
the  highly  esteemed  and  respected  citizens  of 
his  adopted  town.  He  had  been  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution — one  of  the  "minute-men"  of  1776. 
He  founded  at  Taunton  the  business — that  of 
furniture,  hardware  and  house-furnishings  in 
general — now  conducted  by  his  grandsons,  and 
with  which  he  and  his  sons,  John  Nicholas  and 
Salmon  Washburn,  in  turn,  for  years  were 
identified.  Isaac  Washburn  died  in  1832.  He 
had  been  three  times  married,  and  was  the 
father  of  eighteen  children.  He  married  (first) 
Mary  Phillips,  (second)  Eunice  Carey,  of  Mid- 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


595 


dleboro,  Mass.,  and  (third)  Elizabeth,  born  Feb. 
16,  1770,  daughter  of  Hon.  William  Eichmond, 
of  Providence,  E.  I.,  and  his  wife  Lois  (Gray) 
Eichmond,  he  a  direct  descendant  of  John  Eich- 
mond, an  early  settler  of  Taunton,  from  whom 
his  lineage  was  through  Edward,  Silvester,  Wil- 
liam and  Barzillai  Eichmond.  We  have  the 
names  of  seventeen  of  his  children:  Nancy; 
William;  Henry;  Mary  (all  born  to  the  first 
wife);  Eunice  Carey;  Mary  (3);  Isaac;  Eli- 
phalet  (all  born  to  the  second  wife) ;  George, 
bom  April  6,  1799;  Elizabeth,  born  Dec.  17, 
1800;  Louisa,  born  Oct.  5,  1802;  Albert  Gray, 
born  April  14,  1804;  Fanny,  born  Dec.  16, 
1805;  Charles  Eichmond,  born  Nov.  21,  1807; 
John  Nicholas,  born  Oct.  3,  1809 ;  Salmon, 
born  April  7,  1812;  and  Elizabeth  N.,  bom 
Dec.  14,  1814. 

(VII)  George  Washburn,  son  of  Isaac  and 
Elizabeth  (Eichmond),  born  April  6,  1799, 
married  June  5,  1835,  Diana  Northam  Mason, 
of  Swansea,  Mass.,  a  direct  descendant  of  Samp- 
son Mason,  who  was  a  soldier  in  Cromwell's 
army  and  who  on  the  ascent  of  Charles  II.  to 
the  throne  of  England  came  to  America,  and  as 
early  as  1649  is  of  record  in  New  England.  He 
settled  in  Eehoboth,  Mass.,  not  far  from  1657, 
and  became  the  progenitor  of  a  numerous  pos- 
terity. He  married  Mary  Butterworth,  prob- 
ably daughter  of  John  Butterworth,  of  Wey- 
mouth, and  sister  of  John  Butterworth,  of 
Swansea,  Mass.  For  upward  of  one  hundred 
years  the  descendants  of  Mr.  Mason  were  known 
as  Mason  elders,  during,  which  period  they 
served  continually  in  the  pastorate  of  the  first 
Baptist  Church  in  Massachusetts.  The  only 
child  of  George  and  Diana  Northam  (Mason) 
Washburn  was  George  Albert,  born  Feb.  5, 
1836. 

(VIII)  George  Albert  Washburn,  son  of 
George  and  Diana  Northam  (Mason),  was  born 
Feb.  5,  1836,  in  Swansea,  Mass.  He  came 
with  his  parents  to  Taunton,  where  he  resided 
for  the  remainder  of  his  life,  and  where  he  ac- 
quired a  good  public  and  private  school  educa- 
tion. At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  be  became  a 
clerk  in  the  hardware,  iron  and  steel  store  of 
Mr.  Albert  G.  Washburn,  afterward  entering 
the  employ  of  Wood  &  Washburn,  who  were  en- 
gaged in  the  same  business.  In  1857  he  was  ad- 
mitted as  a  partner  in  the  firm,  which  was 
known  as  Hunt,  Harris  &  Co.  He  gained  a 
valuable  experience  in  these  capacities,  and  laid 
the  foundation  for  a  successful  and  substantial 
career.  His  mercantile  life,  however,  ended 
on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war,  which  at 
once  aroused  his  patriotism  and  caused  him 
promptly  to  offer  his  services  to  the  Union. 


On  April  16,  1861,  young  Washbum  left 
his  business  and  responded  to  the  first  call  for 
troops,  enlisting  in  Company  C,  4th  Mass.  V. 
I.,  which  arrived  at  Fortress  Monroe  April 
20th.  This  was  the  first  company  to  leave 
Taunton,  and  also  the  first  company  of  the  first 
regiment  to  leave  Massachusetts  for  the  front. 
By  a  singular  coincidence  his  grandfather,  Isaac 
Washbum,  a  "minute-man,"  was  in  the  first 
company  to  leave  Taunton  in  the  Eevolutionary 
war,  departing  April  20,  1775,  just  eighty-six 
years  before.  Mr.  Washburn  went  out  as  a  ser- 
geant, served  three  months,  or  until  the  expira- 
tion of  his  term  of  enlistment,  and  immediately 
reentered  the  service  as  a  first  lieutenant  in  the 
22d  Mass.  V.  I.,  for  three  years.  Col.  Henry 
Wilson  commanding,  attached  to  the  1st  Di- 
vision, 1st  Brigade,  5th  Army  Corps,  Army  oi 
the  Potomac.  He  was  wounded  at  the  battle 
of  Gaines'  Mill,  Va.,  June  27,  1862,  and  taken 
prisoner,  and  for  some  time  suffered  the  terrible 
confinement  of  Libby  prison.  He  was  promoted 
to  captain  to  date  from  July  11,  1862,  and  was 
mustered  out  of  service  to  date  from  Jan.  5, 
1863. 

Captain  Washburn  received  official  notice  of 
honorable  discharge  March  8, 1863,  and  the  next 
day  was  elected  treasurer  and  collector  of  taxes 
of  Taunton,  which  office  he  filled  with  great 
credit  and  satisfaction  for  twenty-nine  consecu- 
tive years,  resigning  Dec.  24,  1891,  at  which 
time  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Taunton 
National  Bank.  He  was  also  clerk  of  the  over- 
seers of  the  poor  from  1865  to  1882,  inclusive, 
a  member  of  that  body  from  1883  to  March, 

1891,  clerk  of  the  board  of  assessors  from  1869 
to   1875,  and  member  of  the   city  council    in 

1892,  1893,  1894,  1895,  1896,  1897,  1898,  1899 
and  1900.  He  was  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  board  of  Sinking  Fund  Commissioners  of 
Taunton  from  1878  to  1892,  and  secretary  from 
1892  to  1898,  and  in  January,  1898,  was  elected 
its  chairman.  He  was  also  a  trustee  of  the  Mor- 
ton hospital  and  of  the  Taunton  Savings  Bank, 
a  member  of  the  investment  committee  of  the 
last  named  institution,  and  a  director  of  the 
Taimton  Street  Eailway  Company.  Mr.  Wash- 
burn was  an  able  business  man,  a  public-spirited, 
progressive  citizen,  and  a  worthy  representa- 
tive of  one  of  Taunton's  oldest  and  most  re- 
spected families.  His  long  and  valuable  serv- 
ice as  treasurer  and  tax  collector  established 
his  reputation  for  industry,  honesty  and  faith- 
fulness, and  won  for  htm  a  large  circle  of 
friends.  In  every  capacity  he  efficiently  and 
satisfactorily  discharged  his  duties,  and  en- 
joyed the  confidence  of  the  entire  community. 

Mr.    Washburn    married    (first)     Elizabeth 


596 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Gordon  Pratt,  daughter  of  Nathan  and  Lydia 
Pratt,  and  (second)  Ellen  Button  Keed, 
daughter  of  Edgar  Hodges  and  Ellen  Augusta 
Reed,  all  of  Taunton,  Mass.  His  four  children 
— one  born  to  the  first  marriage  and  three  to 
the  second — are:  Harriet  Mason,  wife  of 
Charles  A.  Austin,  of  Brockton;  Edgar  Reed; 
Elliott;  and  Charles  Godfrey. 

(IX)  Elliott  Washburn,  M.  D.,  son  of 
George  Albert  and  Ellen  D.  (Reed),  was  born 
Feb.  9,  1870,  in  Taunton,  Mass.,,  and  acquired 
his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
that  city,  graduating  in  1887.  Entering  Har- 
vard Medical  School  the  same  year,  he  was 
graduated  therefrom  in  1892,  the  last  two  years 
of  that  period  being  given  to  study  and  practice 
in  the  Boston  City  hospital.  Since  then  he 
has  been  engaged  in  the  general  practice  of 
medicine  at  Taunton.  In  July,  1896,  Dr. 
Washburn  was  elected  chairman  of  the  Taun- 
ton board  of  health,  and  was  continued  in  that 
position  until  1907,  when  he  resigned.  Dr. 
Washburn,  in  July,  1907,  was  appointed  State 
inspector  of  health  for  the  Fourth  district  of 
Massachusetts  for  a  term  of  five  years.  He  has 
been  president  of  the  Bristol  North  District 
Medical  Society,  a  branch  of  the  Massachusetts 
State  Medical  Society.  He  has  also  been  a 
member  of  the  staff  of  Morton  hospital  since 
1892.  He  has  been  a  success  in  his  profes- 
sional work,  and  ranks  among  the  best  of  the 
younger  physicians  in  Taunton.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Ionic  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  In  religious 
belief  he  is  a  Unitarian. 

On  Nov.  18,  1896,  Dr.  Washburn  married 
Mary  Louise  Hayden,  of  Holbrook,  Mass.  They 
have  no  children. 

(IX)  Chaeles  Godfrey  Washburn,  son  of 
George  Albert  and  Ellen  D.  (Reed)  Washburn, 
was  born  Sept.  15,  1871,  in  Taunton,  Mass.  He 
received  his  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  city.  Having  decided  to 
follow  the  legal  profession  for  a  life  work  he 
was  prepared  for  it  under  the  direction  of  Hon. 
E.  H.  Bennett  and  Frederick  S.  Hall,  and  at  the 
Boston  University  Law  School,  being  gradu- 
ated therefrom  in  1896.  After  his  admission 
to  the  bar  he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  law 
in  his  native  city.  He  married  Helen  Clark 
Shalling,  daughter  of  Frederick  Girard  and 
Lilla  A.  (Clark)  Shalling,  of  Taunton.  They 
have  one  daughter,  Carolyn,  born  Dec.  28, 
1906. 


(Ill)  Samuel  Washburn,  son  of  John  (3) 
and  Elizabeth  (Mitchell),  was  called  Sergeant 
Washburn.    He  was  born  at  Duxbury,  Mass.,  in 


1651.  He  married  Deborah  Packard.  Her 
father,  Samuel  Packard,  came  from  Windham, 
near  Hingham,  England,  on  the  ship  "Delight" 
of  Ipswich,  and  settled  at  Hingham,  Mass.,  in 
1638,  and  later  he  lived  at  Bridgewater.  The 
children  of  Samuel  and  Deborah  Washburn 
were:  Samuel,  born  1678,  married  Abigail; 
Noah,  born  1682,  married  in  1710  Elizabeth 
Shaw;  Israel,  bom  1684,  married  in  1708 
Waitstill  Sumner;  Nehemiah,  born  1686,  mar- 
ried in  1713  Jane  Howard;  Benjamin  married 
Joanna  (or  Susanna)  Orcutt;  and  Hannah 
married  in  1711  John  Keith.  Samuel  Wash- 
burn died  at  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  in  1720.  He 
was  the  ancestor  of  the  Maine  family  of  Wash- 
burns. 

(IV)  Israel  Washburn,  son  of  Sergt.  Samuel 
and  Deborah  (Packard),  was  born  at  Bridge- 
water,  M^ss.,  in  1684.  In  1708  he  married 
Waitstill  Sumner,  and  their  children,  all  born 
in  Bridgewater,  were:  Sarah,  born  1709,  who 
married  in  1732  Ephraim  Keith;  Deborah,  born 
1712,  who  married  (first)  John  Ripley  and 
(second)  Nathaniel  Bottom  (or  Bolton)  ;  Seth, 
bom  in  1714;  and  Israel,  bom  Aug.  11,  1718. 
Israel  Washburn  died  at  Bridgewater  in  1719. 
He  was  the  last  of  this  line  of  Washburns  who 
lived  at  that  place.  His  son  Israel  settled  in 
Raynham,  and  his  descendants  continue  to  live 
there.  The  widow  of  Israel  Washburn  married 
Ebenezer  Pratt  in  1720. 

(V)  Israel  Washburn,  son  of  Israel  and 
Waitstill  (Sumner),  was  born  at  Bridgewater 
Aug.  11,  1718.  In  1740  he  married  Leah 
Fobes,  who  was  born  at  Bridgewater  March 
27,  1720,  daughter  of  Joshua  and  Abigail 
(Dunbar)  Fobes.  Israel  Washburn  settled  in 
Raynham,  Mass.,  shortly  after  his  marriage,  and 
all  his  children  were  born  there.  He  died  at 
Raynham  Jan.  21,  1796.  His  wife  Leah  died 
there  Dec.  9,  1789,  and  he  married  (second) 
Hannah  Keith,  of  Bridgewater,  who  died  in 
the  same  year  as  himself.  Of  his  children  the 
first  three  died  young;  Leah  married  in  1770 
Jason  Fobes;  Israel,  born  1755,  married  in  1783 
Abiah  King,  of  Raynham ;  Nehemiah  married 
Polly  Preshno,  had  ten  children  and  lived  and 
died  in  Raynham;  Seth  was  a  physician  at 
Raynham ;  Oliver  married  Sally  Lascom,  had 
five  children  and  lived  and  died  in  Raynham; 
Olive  married  Reuben  Andrews,  of  Raynham ; 
and  Prudence  married  a  Mr.  Keith.  Israel 
Washburn  was  elected  March  4,  1776,  a  member 
of  the  committee  of  correspondence,  inspection 
and  safety  for  the  town  of  Raynham.  He  was 
also  captain  of  the  military  company — the 
trained  band — of  Raynham,  Nov.  9,  1774,  the 
company  being  one   of  the  companies  of   the 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


597 


Sd  Regiment  of  Bristol  county.    He  also  served 
a  short  time  in  the  Revolutionary  army. 

(VI)  Israel  Washburn,  son  of  Israel  and 
Leah  (Fobes),  was  born  in  Raynham,  Mass., 
Jan.  30,  1755.  He  died  at  Raynham  Jan.  8, 
1841,  aged  a  few  days  less  than  eighty-six  years. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution, 
and  the  following  is  an  official  abstract  of  a 
part  of  his  service :  "Commonwealth  of  Massa- 
chusetts, Office  of  the  Secretary:  Revolution- 
ary War  Service  of  Israel  Washburn,  Jr. : 
Israel  Washburn,  Jr.,  appears  with  rank  of 
private  on  Lexington  Alarm  roll  of  James  Wil- 
liams, Jr.'s  Company,  which  marched  on  the 
alarm  of  April  19,  1775,  from  Taunton  to 
Roxbury."  Israel  Washburn  was  a  tall,  large- 
framed  man,  and  when  in  the  prime  of  life 
was  very  straight  and  strong,  but  much  bowed 
in  old  age.  He  served  in  the  General  Court 
of  Massachusetts  several  years,  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  convention  that  adopted  the  first 
constitution  of  the  Commonwealth.  He  talked 
but  little  and  it  is  said  that  in  all  his  legis- 
lative experience  he  made  but  one  speech.  On 
one  occasion,  a  member  having  made  a  speech 
that  greatly  pleased  him,  he  arose  and  said : 
"I  like  what  that  man  said,  because — I  do  like 
it."  Israel  Washburn  married  in  1783  Abiah 
King,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Deliverance 
(Eddy)  King.  She  was  born  in  Raynham 
June  29,  1762,  and  died  May  25,  1842.  Their 
children,  all  born  in  Raynham,  were:  Israel, 
bom  Nov.  18,  1784;  Molly,  Nov.  14,  1786; 
Sidney,  Nov.  14,  1788;  Benjamin,  Feb.  10, 
1791;  Reuel,  May  21,  1793;  Elihu,  July  22, 
1795;  Philander,  June  28,  1799;  Eli  King, 
July  22,  1802;  Lydia  King,  Feb.  24,  1805;  and 
Cornelia,  Jan.  7,  1807. 

(VII)  Eli  King  Washburn,  son  of  Israel  and 
Abiah  (King),  was  born  at  Raynham  July  32, 
1802.  He  spent  his  life  on  the  old  Washburn 
homestead  at  Raynham.  He  represented  bis 
town  in  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  and 
weHS  an  ardent  temperance  man  and  Abolition- 
ist. He  married  Dec.  25,  1825,  Nancy  Dean 
Norton,  who  was  born  at  Mansfield,  Mass.,  Aug. 
28,  1806.  He  died  at  Raynham  July  28,  1852, 
and  she  died  at  Taunton  May  26,  1873.  Their 
children  were:  Thomas  J.,  born  Jan.  6,  1827, 
died  July  8,  1870 ;  Emily,  born  April  28,  1828, 
died  Aug.  11,  1896;  Nathan,  born  Dec.  29, 
1829,  died  Dec.  4.  1904;  Mary,  born  Oct.  37, 
1832,  died  Nov.  4,  1855;  Lucy,  born  Oct.  8, 
1834,  died  Nov.  5,  1855 ;  Laura,  born  Aug.  28, 
1836,  died  May  21,  1887;  Camilla,  born  :March 
17,  1838,  died  Nov.  2,  1855 ;  Arthur,  born  April 
36,  1840,  died  Aug.  24,  1892;  Miriam,  born 
Feb.  5,  1842,  died  Dec.  30,  1855;  Jane,  born 


March  23,  1844,  died  Oct.  30,  1855;  Juliet, 
born  April  5,  1846;  and  Martha,  born  Sept. 
13,  1851,  died  Sept.  14,  1854. 

(VIII)  Thomas  J.  Washburn,  son  of  Eli 
King  and  Nancy  Dean  (Norton),  was  bom 
Jan.  6,  1837,  and  died  in  the  old  Washburn 
home  at  Raynham  July  8,  1870.  In  1849  he 
went  to  California  and  remained  there  until 
1863,  during  which  time  he  made  one  trip  back 
home.  On  Nov.  25,  1866,  at  Taunton,  he  mar- 
ried Mary  Bowers  Hall,  born  Jan.  13,  1834, 
daughter  of  Andrew  H.  and  Hannah  W. 
(Crane)  Hall.  To  this  union  was  born  one 
son,  Harry  Thomas,  Nov.  34,  1868.  Mrs.  Wash- 
burn and  lier  son  reside  in  a  modem  home 
recently  erected  on  the  old  Hall  property  on 
Dean  street,  Taunton. 

SANFORD  WINTER,  for  fifty  years  a  resi- 
dent of  North  Bridgewater  and  Brockton,  ac- 
tive in  business,  proprietor  of  the  "Hotel  Bel- 
mont," president  of  the  Brockton  Savings  Bank, 
and  former  selectman  and  councilman,  died  at 
his  home.  No.  31  Belmont  street,  Nov.  9,  1909, 
in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his  age.  He  was 
a  native  of  Maine,  born  in  Carthage,  Franklin 
county,  Nov.  16,  1836,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Phebe  (Gray)  Winter. 

The  name  Winter  is  an  early  one  in  New 
England,  Christopher  Winter  appearing  in 
Plymouth  in  1639,  "where  he  was  fined  ten 
shillings  for  publishing  himself  in  marriage  to 
Jane  Cooper,  contrary  to  order  and  custom  of 
this  government" ;  whether  Jane  ever  became 
Mrs.  Winter  does  not  seem  to  be  recorded.  Win- 
ter succeeded  John  Bradford  in  the  occupancy 
of  Governor's  island  in  1660.  At  a  still  earlier 
period,  in  1636,  John  Winter  was  a  proprietor 
in  Watertown,  and  died  there  in  1662;  in  his 
will  dated  March  4,  1661,  and  proved  in  June, 
1662,  he  mentions  sons  Richard  and  Thomas, 
late  of  London,  daughter  Alice  Lockman,  of 
London,  and  son  John  of  Watertown,  to  whom 
he  gave  his  landed  property.  In  1683  the  son 
liad  land  assigned  him  in  Cambridge  Farms, 
whither  he  went,  and  there  died  in  1690 ;  in  his 
will  of  1689  he  speaks  of  his  children,  John, 
Thomas,  Samuel,  Sarah,  Hannah  and  Mary. 
Cambridge  Farms,  it  should  be  understood,  be- 
came Lexington.  Of  these  two  early  Massa- 
chusetts Winters,  Christopher  and  John,  the 
former,  so  far  as  we  have  ascertained,  left  no 
male  issue.  The  Winter  family  with  which  this 
article  especially  deals  have  it  that  their  earliest 
forbear  of  whom  there  is  definite  knowledge, 
.Joseph  Winter,  was  a  native  of  Truro,  in  Barn- 
stable county,  this  Commonwealth.  But  the  vital 
records  of  the  town  do  not  record  his  birth  or 


598 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


family,  uor  does  it  appear  that  the  family  was 
early  there  or  that  it  has  been  continuous.  In 
the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  one 
Samuel  Winter  was  the  schoolmaster  in  Truro 
for  several  years,  he  being  first  employed  at  a 
meeting  of  the  town  held  in  October,  1719.  The 
records  of  the  town  at  that  early  period  are  only 
fragmentary  and  from  them  little  is  to  be 
gleaned.  This  Joseph  Winter  referred  to  is 
credited,  too,  as  being  a  fifer  in  the  war  of 
the  Revolution,  and  as  a  young  man  with  going 
to  the  State  of  Maine.  "Massachusetts  Soldiers 
and  Sailors  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution"  gives 
an  account  of  the  services  of  a  Joseph  Winter, 
as  follows:  "Return  dated  Newbury,  Sept.  20, 
1781,  signed  by  the  selectmen  of  bounties  paid 
said  Winter  and  others  to  serve  in  the  Conti- 
nental Army  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war, 
agreeable  to  resolve  of  Dec.  2,  1780;  said  Win- 
ter reported  as  having  been  engaged  for  the 
war ;  also  return  of  men  raised  in  Essex  County 
for  Continental  service,  agreeable  to  resolve  of 
Dec.  2,  1780 ;  engaged  for  the  town  of  New- 
bury; engaged  July  2,  1781,  term  three  years; 
also  fifer.  Col.  Benjamin  Tupper's  (10th)  regi- 
ment; service  from  July  15,  1781,  17  months, 
17  days;  reported  promoted  from  private  Dec. 
1,  1781." 

Joseph  Winter,  grandfather  of  the  late  San- 
ford  Winter,  was  born  in  Truro,  Barnstable 
county,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming.  He 
was  a  "fifer  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  As  a 
young  man  he  settled  in  Maine,  and  in  about 
1814  removed  to  Carthage,  that  State,  where 
he  continued  at  farming  until  his  death,  in 
about  1833-33.  He  married  Betsey  Carver,  of 
early  Plymouth  and  "Mayflower"  stock,  who 
died  in  Carthage.  Their  children  were:  Bet- 
sey, who  married  a  Mr.  Robinson;  Mary  (or 
Polly),  who  married  Jeremiah  Whitney;  Ben- 
jamin, who  married  Olive  Gray;  Samuel  Still- 
man,  who  settled  in  Ohio;  Joseph,  mentioned 
below;  Olive,  who  married  Joseph  Whittier; 
William,  who  married  Anne  Hutchinson ;  Mar- 
garet, who  married  William  Hall ;  and  Han- 
nah, who  married  Nathan  Adams. 

Joseph  Winter  (2),  son  of  Joseph,  was  born 
at  Jay,  Maine,  and  later  removed  with  his 
parents  to  Carthage,  and  there  the  remainder 
of  his  life  was  spent  in  farming.  He  died 
there  of  consumption  June  5,  1845,  aged  fifty- 
one  years,  ten  days,  and  his  remains  were  later 
brought  to  Brockton,  Mass.,  and  interred  in 
Union  cemetery.  He  married  Phebe  Gray,  of 
Carthage,  who  survived  him,  and  married  for 
her  second  husband  Jacob  Williams,  of  South 
Easton,  Mass.,  where  she  died  Oct.  25,  1853, 
aged  fifty-four  years.    To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Winter 


were  born  children  as  follows:  Eveline,  who 
married  James  Smith,  and  died  in  Brockton 
at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Ethan  Allen ; 
Elbridge  Gerry,  who  married  Hannah  Adams, 
and  died  in  Carthage  May  6,  1844;  Mary 
Coolidge,  who  married  Abijah  Pratt,  and  both 
died  in  Roseville,  111.;  Sanford,  mentioned  be- 
low; Sophronia,  who  died  aged  three  years; 
Julia  Ann,  who  died  in  infancy;  Lorenzo  Dow, 
who  died  in  Livermore,  Maine,  aged  sixteen 
years;  Marilla  Leach,  who  married  George  L. 
Whitman,  of  Attleboro,  Mass. ;  and  Henry  Lee, 
who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness 
in  the  Civil  war  at  the  age  of  twenty -one  (un- 
married). 

Sanford  Winter  was  born  Nov.  16,  1826,  and 
after  the  usual  course  of  common  school  edu- 
cation (his  father  dying  when  he  was  a  young 
man),  the  duties  of  the  farm  devolved  upon 
him.  He  conducted  the  home  place  for  about 
a  year,  when  he  sold  it  and  removed  to  Jay, 
Maine,  working  on  a  farm  for  two  years,  during 
which  time  he  attended  school  during  the  winter 
months.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  in  1850, 
he  went  to  North  Easton,  Mass.,  and  entered 
into  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law,  Abijah 
Pratt,  of  that  town,  in  the  buying  and  slaughter- 
ing of  cattle  for  the  retail  trade,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Pratt  &  Winter,  the  business  at  that 
time  requiring  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
cattle  per  year,  besides  the  smaller  animals. 
In  1855  the  partnership  was  dissolved  and  Mr. 
Winter  continued  in  business  alone,  running 
two  retail  wagons.  During  the  stringent  times 
of  1857-58  he  had  pretty  hard  work,  but  ^we/it 
through  the  panic  safely,  and  in  1859  com- 
menced the  wholesale  business  in  North  Bridge- 
water  (now  Brockton),  in  connection  with  the 
retail  business;  in  1859  he  purchased  a  farm 
of  Manley  Packard  on  Pearl  street,  Brockton 
Heights,  removing  to  that  locality  in  1860.  The 
business  continued  to  increase  steadily  until 
1865,  when  a  fire  destroyed  all  his  buildings 
excepting  his  dwelling  house,  causing  a  severe 
loss  and  throwing  him  out  of  business  for  about 
a  year.  But  phoenix-like,  from  the  ashes  of 
the  old  buildings  rose  new  and  improved  build- 
ings, and  many  improvements  were  introduced. 
The  varied  kinds  ol^  business  in  connection  with 
the  work  were  successfully  conducted,  giving 
emplojrment  to  a  number  of  hands. 

To  the  original  business  of  buying  and 
slaughtering  for  the  retail  and  wholesale  trade, 
new  departments,  including  rendering  and 
fertilizer  plants  and  icehouses,  had  been  added 
from  time  to  time,  while  the  dealing  in  hides 
and  calfskins  alone  brought  in  thousands  of 
dollars  annually.   Several  years  ago  Mr.  Winter 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


599 


■conducted  what  was  known  as  the  Centre  street 
market,  later  a  market  in  Whitman  street,  the 
Franklin  market,  and  various  other  markets, 
besides  the  Boston  Cash  store.  He  personally 
superintended  all  divisions  of  his  business  up  to 
within  a  few  weeks  of  his  death,  daily  visiting 
the  various  ofBces,  and  keeping  in  touch  with 
the  d€tails  of  each.  This  was  a  task  that  would 
have  appalled  most  men  of  half  his  years,  for 
at  the  last  his  business  included  the  wholesale 
establishment  with  traffic  in  hides  and  horns, 
besides  the  actual  sale  of  meats  and  provisions, 
a  retail  market,  grocery  store  and  fish  market, 
and  the  "Hotel  Belmont."  But  a  year  before 
his  death  he  had  sold  the  interest  he  held  in 
the  drug  store  at  the  comer  of  Main  and  Bel- 
mont streets.  His  life  had  always  been  an 
active  one.  In  the  early  days  he  worked  from 
■early  dawn  far  into  the  night,  and  he  belonged 
to  that  old  schdol  of  business  men  who.  by  close 
attention  to  every  detail  felt  and  made  them- 
selves personally  responsible  for  every  act  of 
business  undertaken  in  their  names. 

Besides  the  above  named  Mr.  Winter  erected 
the  large  brick  block  in  1881,  at  the  corner 
of  Main  and  Belmont  streets,  where  the  "Old 
Green  Store"  formerly  stood.  His  corner  lot 
was  75x130  feet,  and  the  building  four  stories 
in  height,  the  lower  floor  being  used  for  stores. 
The  whole  upper  portion  is  the  "Hotel  Bel- 
mont," and  contains  sixty-two  rooms,  besides 
a  splendid  dining  room,  reading  room  and 
billiard  room.  It  is  equipped  with  gas  and 
electricity,  heated  by  steam,  and  altogether  is 
•one  of  the  finest  hotel  structures  in  the  county. 
As  its  proprietor  Mr.  Winter  was  host  to  many 
persons  of  national  fame — statesmen,  literary 
men,  clergymen,  actors  and  business  men,  and 
contact  with  men  of  widely  different  interests, 
and  a  natural  leaning  toward  the  higher  things 
of  life,  gave  him  deeper  knowledge  and  broader 
charity. 

Very  few  men  possess  the  ability  to  conduct 
successfully  as  many  and  as  varied  enterprises 
as  were  \mder  the  control  of  Mr.  Sanford 
Winter.  Starting  in  life  with  few  advantages 
he  became  a  prominent,  influential  and  well 
known  citizen,  and  among  Brockton's  most 
active  business  men,  one  who  did  much  toward 
forwarding  the  interests  of  the  town  and  open- 
ing up  new  fields  for  the  employment  of  labor, 
aiding  in  the  development  of  the  city.  Though 
at  the  age  beyond  that  usually  allotted  to  man — 
over  fourscore  years — he  handled  every  depart- 
ment of  his  extensive  business  with  remark- 
able skill,  method  and  success.  His  physical 
and  mental  strength  were  extraordinary,  and 
endured  to  his  latest  days.     In  spite  of  his 


personal  interests  he  was  ever  ready  to  take 
part  in  public  affairs,  and  work  for  the  moral 
and  material  welfare  of  the  town.  He  was 
honored  by  the  town  (then  North  Bridgewater) 
in  1877  by  being  elected  one  of  the  board  of 
selectmen,  and  when  the  first  council  of  the  first 
year  of  the  city  government  of  Brockton  was 
organized  he  was  one  of  its  members.  It  is 
said  of  him  that  no  man  in  the  council  "entered 
into  the  solution  of  city  problems  with  greater 
zeal,  and  few  men  could  take  a  more  determined 
stand  when  he  believed  himself  to  be  right. 

He   was    always    recognized    as    a   man 

whose  judgment  in  business  matters  merited  the 
highest  consideration."  He  was  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican in  political  faith,  but  never  a  politician. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  incorporators  and 
served  as  president  of  the  Brockton  Savings 
Bank  two  years,  and  was  a  charter  member  of 
the  Commercial  Club. 

In  his  religious  views  Mr.  Winter  was  at 
one  time  a  Methodist,  and  an  active  and  in- 
fluential member  of  Central  Methodist  Church, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  a  member  of  its 
board  of  trustees.  Later  he  united  with  the 
First  Congregational  Church,  where  he  was 
once  a  pewholder,  but  not  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

On  Oct.  31.  1852,  Mr.  Winter  married  Elvira 
Ann,  daughter  of  Enoch  and  Mehitabel  Noyes, 
of  Jay,  Maine,  and  to  this  iinion  were  born 
the  following  children:  Francis  Eugene,  born 
May  6, 1856,  died  May  19,  1876 ;  Hattie  Louise, 
born  May  21,  1858,  died  April  17,  1883; 
Everett  Henry,  born  Aug.  9,  1862,  who  con- 
ducted the  "Hotel  Belmont"  until  it  was  sold  in 
1910,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the  beef  and 
fertilizer  business  at  Brockton  Heights,  married 
Oct.  13,  1892,  Florence  M.,  daughter  of  El- 
bridge  and  Jane  Benson,  of  Abingdon,  Mass. 
(no  issue)  ;  and  John  Sanford,  born  Aug.  13, 
1864,  died  July  8,  1875.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  Aug.  23,  1865,  and  Mr.  Winter 
married  (second)  Nov.  22,  1868,  Sophia  Tilton 
Vincent,  daughter  of  the  late  Matthew  and 
Sophia  Vincent,  of  Edgartown,  Mass.  No  chil- 
dren were  bom  to  this  union.  Mrs.  Winter 
died  in  January,  1904.  Mr.  Winter's  death 
came  after  an  illness  covering  several  weeks, 
and  the  close  of  his  active,  useful  life  was 
peaceful.  He  will  long  be  missed  from  the 
business  life  of  Brockton,  and  from  among  the 
many  to  whom  he  had  been  a  rock  of  safety  in 
threatened  storm.  For  the  city  of  Brockton 
he  had  been  one  who  had  laid  the  foundations 
of  her  prosperity  strong  and  deep,  and  he  was 
permitted  to  live  to  see  the  beauty  and  strength 
that  crowned  his  endeavors. 


600 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


EDWAED  EVEEETT  HAWES,  M.  D.,  a 
well-known  physician  of  Barnstable  county, 
with  home  and  office  at  Hyannis,  is  a  native 
of  the  State  of  Maine,  born  at  Troy  March  5, 
1862,  son  of  Eobert  and  Emily  Wentworth 
Hawes. 

The  Hawes  family  from  which  the  Doctor 
descends  is  an  old  and  prominent  one  of  New 
England.  Four  or  more  immigrants  bearing 
the  name  of  Hawes  came  to  New  England  be- 
fore 1650 — Edmund  Hawes,  of  Plymouth,  Dux- 
bury  and  Yarmouth;  Edward,  of  Dedham; 
Eobert,  of  Eoxbury;  and  Eichard,  of  Dor- 
chester. It  is  with  the  last  named  that  this 
article  has  to  deal. 

(I)  Eichard  Hawes,  aged  twenty-nine,  with 
wife  Ann,  aged  twenty-six,  and  children  Ann 
(or  Anna),  aged  two  and  a  half,  and  Obadiah, 
aged  six  months,  came  from  England  in  the 
"Trulove"  in  1635,  and  settled  in  Dorchester. 
He  was  a  freeman  May  2,  1638.  He  had  at 
Dorchester:  Bethiah,  born  July  27,  1637; 
Deliverance,  born  June  11,  1640;  Constance, 
born  July  17,  1642;  and  Eleazur,  who  married 
Euth,  daughter  of  Edmund  Haynes,  of  Spring- 
field, and  was  killed  in  King  Philip's  war  April 
81,  1676.  Eichard  Hawes  died  in  January, 
1657,  for  his  inventory  was  taken  the  27th 
of  that  month,  and  his  widow,  says  Savage, 
perhaps,  died  at  Eoxbury  in  1663. 

(II)  Obadiah  Hawes,  son  of  Eichard,  born 
in  England,  at  the  age  of  six  months  as  stated 
came  in  the  "Trulove"  in  1635  to  New  Eng- 
land with  his  father  and  family,  who  located 
in  Dorchester.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Elder  James  Humphrey,  who  died  April  21, 
1676.  Mr.  Hawes  was  a  freeman  in  1666,  and 
died  Oct.  5,  1690.  His  children  were:  Obadiah, 
born  Aug.  20,  1663 ;  James,  born  Dec.  18, 
1664;  Mary,  bom  Oct.  3,  1666  (died  young)  ; 
Ebenezer,  born  Dec.  15,  1668  (died  in  ten 
days);  Desire,  born  Aug.  30,  1670;  Eichard, 
born  Dec.  19,  1672;  and  Sarah,  born  Oct.  29, 
1674. 

(III)  Obadiah  Hawes  (2),  son  of  Obadiah, 
born  Aug.  20,  1663,  married  Dec.  19,  1693, 
Eebecca,  daughter  of  John  Cowen,  of  Scituate. 

(IV)  Obadiah  Hawes  (3),  son  of  Obadiah 
(2),  married  Mary  Cobb. 

(V)  Obadiah  Hawes  (4),  son  of  Obadiah 
(3),  born  in  that  part  of  Stoughton,  Mass., 
that  later  became  the  town  of  Sharon,  married 
Tabitha  Eichardson,  daughter  of  John  Eichard- 
son,  of  Woburn,  Mass.  They  early  removed  to 
New  Hampshire,  and  lived  at  various  points  in 
that  State.  They  had  three  sons  and  as  many 
daughters. 

(VI)  Nathan   Hawes,  son   of   Obadiah    (4) 


and  Tabitha  (Eichardson),  married  Phebe 
Stevens.  Mr.  Hawes  moved  from  Goffstown, 
N.  H.,  to  Farmington,  Maine,  where  his  death 
occurred  about  Nov.  1,  1845.  When  but  six- 
teen years  of  age  he  saw  service  in  the  war  of 
the  Eevolution ;  was  a  pa^-ticipant  in  the  battle 
of  Bennington.  His  children  were :  Abigail, 
Stephen  J.,  Hannah,  Nathan,  Joseph,  John, 
David.  Mary,  Sally,  Belinda  and  Betsey. 

(VII)  Stephen  Johnson  Hawes,  son  of 
Nathan  and  Phebe  (Stevens),  born  Dec.  6, 
1784,  in  GofEstown,  N.  H.,  married  (first) 
Betsey  Stearns,  (second)  Betsey  Dal  ton,  who 
died  in  Weld,  Maine,  June  4,  1829,  and  (third) 
Sept.  4,  1831,  Maria  Masterman,  who  died 
Feb.  10,  1884,  in  Weld,  Maine.  Mr.  Hawes 
died  Jan.  26,  1865.  His  children  were :  Gil- 
man,  Leonard,  John  L.,  Nelson  (died  when 
young),  Eobert  W.  (all  born  to  the  first  mar- 
riage), Benjamin,  Nelson,  'Betsey,  David, 
Stephen,  LaFayette,  Melvina  L.  (all  born  to 
the  second  marriage)-,  Phebe  M.,  George  F., 
Alpheus  P.,  Isabella  E.,  John  M.,  WiUiam  A., 
Charles  E.  and  Leander  E. 

(VIII)  Eobert  Wallace  Hawes,  son  of 
Stephen  Johnson  and  Betsey  (Stearns),  born 
Jan.  3,  1816,  at  Goffstown,  in  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire,  lived  for  a  time  in  Albion, 
Maine,  and  then  moved  to  Troy  in  that  same 
State,  where  he  died  Oct.  1,  1897.  He  married 
March  30,  1843,  Emily  Wentworth,  who  was 
born  April  13,  1882,  in  Albion,  Maine,  daugh- 
ter of  Timothy  and  Abigail  (Black)  Went- 
worth, the  latter  a  daughter  of  Joab  Black, 
a  native  of  York,  Maine,  who  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution  and  was  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill.  Mrs.  Hawes  also  descended  from  .John 
Wentworth,  of  England,  1626,  who  belonged 
to  the  Wenthworths  of  Wentworth  Castle,  an 
ancient  family,  who  came  to  England  with 
William  the  Conqueror.  The  Colonial  gover- 
nors of  New  Hampshire  and  "Long  John" 
Wentworth,  one  time  mayor  of  the  city  of 
Chicago,  were  of  this  family.  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eobert  W.  Hawes,  all  but  the  two 
youngest  born  in  Albion,  were:  Timothy  W., 
born  Jan.  31,  1844;  Charles  W.,  born  Dec.  7, 
1846;  Lizzie  E.,  born  Aug.  17,  1849;  George 
E.,  born  Aug.  8,  1851 ;  Walter  E.,  born  Mav  3, 
1853;  Abbie  M.,  born  Oct.  1,  1855;  Frederick 
M.,  born  Sept.  8,  1859;  and  Edward  E.,  born 
March  5,  1868.  All  are  living  except  Abigail, 
who  died  in  young  womanhood. 

(IX)  Edward  Everett  Hawes  received  a 
liberal  education,  attending  the  Maine  Central 
Institute,  also  Bowdoin  College,  and  the 
medical  school  of  the  University  of  New  York, 
as  well  as  the  medical  school  of  the  Universitv 


2   Z.  ^^^^i^^^^yrJ^^D 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


601 


of  Vermont,  from  which  latter  he  graduated  in 
1886  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  Meantime,  be- 
fore his  graduation,  he  taught  school  several 
years,  first  at  Detroit,  Maine,  in  1877,  when  but 
sixteen  years  old,  later  at  Harwich,  in  1882, 
and  at  Yarmouth,  Mass.,  where  he  continued 
until  1888.  In  1886  he  had  be^n  medical  prac- 
tice at  Harwich,  Mass.,  and  two  years  later 
moved  to  Hyannis,  where  he  was  located  for 
eight  or  nine  years.  After  that,  seeing  a  wider 
field  in  Boston,  he  settled  in  that  city,  where  he 
continued  to  follow  his  profession  until  April, 
1909,  at  that  time  returning  to  Hyannis,  where 
he  is  still  in  active  practice.  He  still  lectures 
at  Boston,  however,  on  surgical  subjects,  giving 
special  instruction  on  fractures  and  dislocations 
at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons. 
His  profession  has  brought  him  honor  and 
success,  and  his  standing  among  his  fellow 
practitioners  is  as  high  as  among  his  patrons. 

Dr.  Hawes  married  Emily  Crowell,  of  West 
Yarmouth,  daughter  of  Capt.  Elkanah  and 
Susan  (Crowell)  Crowell  (of  the  same  stock 
but  very  distantly  related).  Her  father,  now 
a  retired  sea  captain,  is  a  son  of  Elkanah 
and  Eliza  (Bacon)  Crowell,  and  a  descend- 
ant of  Elkanah  Crowell,  son  of  Yelverton 
Crowell,  the  Pilgrim;  two  Crowell  brothers 
came  from  Plymouth  to  Barnstable,  Elkanah 
going;  to  Yarmouth. '  Mrs.  Hawes  was  born  at 
Yarmouth  and  educated  there  and  at  Brock- 
ton, attending  high  school  at  the  latter  place. 
While  still  young  she  sailed  in  her  father's 
vessel,  and  rounded  Cape  Horn  twice.  She 
takes  a  deep  interest  in  botany,  and  has  given 
much  time  to  the  study  of  many  varieties  of 
wildflowers,  in  which  her  husband  is  also  in- 
terested. 

The  Doctor  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  Frater- 
nal Lodge,  A.  E.  &  A.  M.,  and  Orient  Chapter, 
E.  A.  M.,  both  of  Hyannis,  and  to  Palestine 
Commandery,  K.  T.,  of  Chelsea,  Mass. ;  he  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Scottish  Rite.  He  holds 
membership  in  the  Massachusetts  Sons  of  the 
American  Revolution ;  is  a  member  of  the 
Massachusetts  Medical  Society,  and  of  the 
American  Medical  Association.  He  attends  the 
Universalist  Church.  Politically  he  is  an  inde- 
pendent Republican. 

KIRBY.  The  name  Kirby  so  far  as  relates 
to  the  old  family  has  been  a  continuous  one 
and  the  family  a  numerous  one  in  New  Eng- 
land for  now  some  two  hundred  .and  seventy 
years  and  more  —  since  approximately  1636, 
only  a  decade  and  a  half  later  than  the  coming 
hither  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers;  and  here,  in 
what  was  Ancient  or  Old   Dartmouth,  it  has 


been  established  since  not  far  from  1660-70, 
and  given  a  good  account  of  itself  in  the  march 
of  progress  that  has  steadily  intervened,  and 
developed  a  great  section.  Richard  Kirby,  the 
immigrant  and  progenitor  of  the  race  in  ques- 
tion, was  one  of  the  founders  of  Sandwich, 
as  he  was  later  of  Dartmouth,  and  here  many 
of  his  posterity  have  made  an  honorable  place 
for  themselves  in  local  history.  This  article, 
however,  has  only  to  do  with  one  branch  of  the 
Kirbys  —  some  of  the  descendants  of  the 
brothers  Justus  and  Wesson  Kirby,  men  of  the 
fifth  generation  from  this  settler,  and  whose 
farms  joined  each  other  in  that  part  of  Dart- 
mouth which  later  became  the  town  of  West- 
port,  where  and  at  New  Bedford  later  genera- 
tions of  their  posterity  have  been  prominent 
and  influential  citizens,  some  occupying  high 
and  honorable  positions  in  the  public  service 
of  their  communities  and  for  unusually  long 
periods  of  time.  Among  the  earlier  generations 
may  be  mentioned  Luther,  Benjamin,  Wesson 
and  Abraham ;  and  of  the  succeeding  genera- 
tion Avary,  Stephen  P.,  Wesson,  Jr.  and  Hon. 
George,  all  substantial  men  and  useful  citizens, 
and  the  latter  of  whom  had  the  privilege  of 
representing  his  town — Dartmouth — for  ten 
years  in  the  State  Assembly,  of  serving  his 
community  upward  of  twenty  years  as  select- 
man and  overseer  of  the  poor,  for  about  that 
same  length  of  time  as  collector  and  treasurer, 
and  for  over  sixty  years  as  surveyor  of  wood 
and  lumber ;  while  in  the  succeeding  generation 
among  the  worthies  have  been  the  present  Wil- 
liam Avery  Kirby,  now  venerable  in  years  and 
retired,  long  an  honorable  and  substantial 
citizen  and  a  representative  on  the  board  of 
directors  of  several  of  the  financial  institutions 
of  New  Bedford ;  the  late  Humphrey  S.  Kirby, 
long  one  of  the  successful  business  men  of  New 
Bedford  and  for  seventeen  years  a  member  of 
the  school  committee ;  and  the  present  Hon. 
Albert  C.  Kirby,  who  has  several  times  repre- 
sented the  towns  of  Westport  and  Dartmouth 
in  the  State  Assembly,  and  for  thirty-one  years 
served  Bristol  county  as  a  deputy  sheriff,  and 
the  latter's  son.  Dr.  Holder  C.  Kirby,  who  has 
attained  high  place  in  the  medical  profession ; 
and  several  other  sons  of  these  men  who  are 
worthily  wearing  the  family  name. 

There  follows  in  chronological  order  some 
family  history  and  genealogy  of  the  branch  of 
Kirbys  already  indicated. 

(I)  Richard  Kirby  appears  first  of  record  in 
New  England  in  1636,  as  an  inhabitant  of 
Lynn,  Mass.  He  with  others  in  1637  removed  to 
Cape  Cod  and  began  the  settlement  of  Sand- 
wich.    He  shared  in  the  division  of  land   in 


«02 


SOUTHEASTERN"  MASSACHUSETTS 


1641,  and  in  1643  his  name  appears  on  the  list 
of  those  able  to  bear  arms.  He  was  one  of  the 
eleven  male  members  whose  names  are  found  on 
the  first  recorded  list  of  members  of  the  Puritan 
Church  of  Sandwich.  It  was  here,  in  Sand- 
wich, so  far  as  known,  that  the  first  persons  in 
this  country  embraced  the  principles  of  the 
Friends.  Among  these  was  Kichard  Kirby,  yet 
it  is  not  certain  that  he  ever  became  a  member 
of  the  Society  of  Friends.  It  is  known  that  in 
1684  he  took  the  oath  of  fidelity,  and  neither 
his  name  nor  that  of  his  son  Richard  appears 
AS  a  member  in  the  church  records  of  the 
Friends.  He  removed  to  Dartmouth  some  time 
after  1660.  He  purchased  a  half  share  of  land 
there  in  1670,  and  in  1683  he  bought  land  on 
the  west  side  of  Cocksett  river.  He  died  in 
Dartmouth  in  June  or  July,  1688.  The  sur- 
name of  his  wife  is  unknown,  but  her  Christian 
name  appears  to  have  been  Jane.  His  children 
appear  to  have  been  Jane,  Sarah  (born  in 
1638),  Ruhamah,  Richard  and  Recompence. 

(II)  Richard  Kirby  (2),  probably  born  be- 
fore 1638,  married  Oct.  9,  1665,  Patience, 
daughter  of  William  Gifford,  of  Sandwich, 
Mass.  The  name  of  Mr.  Kirby  is  found  among 
the  twenty-four  inhabitants  of  Sandwich  who 
in  October,  1660,  were  each  fined  ten  shillings 
for  attending  Quaker  meetings.  Together  with 
his  father  he  suffered  the  distraint  of  fifteen 
cows  to  satisfy  fines  imposed.  Some  time  after 
his  marriage  he  removed  to  Dartmouth.  His 
wife  died  after  May  30,  1674,  and  he  married 
(second)  Dec.  8,  1678,  Abigail,  widow  of  Zoeth 
Howland.  His  children,  all  born  to  the  first 
marriage,  were:  Sarah,  born  May  1,  1667; 
Experience,  May  5,  1670 ;  Temperance,  May  5, 
1670 ;  John,  March  2,  1672 ;  and  Robert,  May 
10,  1674. 

(III)  Robert  Kirby,  born  May  10,  1674, 
married  Rebecca,  born  in  1673,  daughter  of 
Nathaniel  Potter,  of  Portsmouth,  R.  I.  Mr. 
Kirby  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
and  lived  in  that  part  of  Dartmouth  which  in 
1787  became  the  town  of  Westport,  and  near 
the  Coaxit  river;  on  either  side  of  which  stream, 
according  to  the  proprietary  records  of  Dart- 
mouth, there  were  laid  out  in  1712  for  Mr. 
Kirby's  homestead  212  acres  of  land.  Mr. 
Kirby  died  in  1757.  His  widow  Rebecca  died 
in  1772.  Their  children  were:  Patience, 
Nathaniel,  Ichabod,  Recompence,  Silas,  Robert 
and  Barsheba.  Mr.  Kirby  bought  in  1728  from 
Benjamin  Waite  tlie  farm  and  house,  the  latter 
of  which  in  1904  was  the  oldest  standing  in 
Old  Dartmouth.  The  center  part  of  it  was 
built  by  Thomas  Waite  in  Central  Village, 
Westport,  about  1677,  on  land  that  remained 


in  the  Waite  family  until  1728,  when,  as  stated, 
it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Kirby ;  and  in 
1904  it  was  the  oldest  Kirby  house  then  stand- 
ing. 

(IV)  Nathaniel  Kirby  married  March  25, 
1731,  Abigail,  born  June  25,  1712,  daughter 
of  James  and  Rebecca  (Howland)  Russel,  of 
Dartmouth.  Mr.  Kirby  was  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Friends.  He  died  probably  early  in 
the  year  1748,  as  in  his  will  of  Nov.  5,  1747, 
and  approved  in  August,  1748,  he  speaks  of 
himself  as  "being  very  sick  and  weak  in  body." 
His  children  were:  Wesson,  born  Oct.  14, 
1731;  Rebecca,  June  26,  1733;  Lydia,  Nov.  20, 
1738;  Mary,  March  15,  1743;  and  Justus, 
April  28,  1746.  The  mother  of  these  was  a 
direct  descendant  of  Ralph  Russel,  who  came 
from  Pontypool,  Monmouthshire,  England,  to 
New  England,  and  for  a  time,  according  to 
Savage,  was  likely  engaged  in  the  iron  works 
in  Taunton  with  the  Leonards,  then  located 
in  Dartmouth,  from  whom  her  descent  is 
through  John  Russell,  who  bought  in  1664  one 
share  (800  acres)  of  Dartmouth  lands,  and 
set  up  an  iron  forge  at  what  was  later  called 
Rus-sell's  Mills,  was  much  employed  in  public 
affairs,  a  number  of  times  representative  in  the 
General  Court,  etc. ;  Jonathan  Russel  and  his 
wife  Hassadyah  (Smith),  and  James  Russell 
and  his  wife  Rebecca  (Howland). 

(V)  Justus  Kirby,  born  April  28,  1746  (ac- 
cording to  Dartmouth  record),  or  A])ril  18, 
1747  (according  to  the  family  Bible),  married 
Dec.  27,  1768,  Catherine,  born  April.  14,  1751, 
daughter  of  Peleg  and  Mary  (Russell)  Cornell. 
They  lived  in  that  part  of  Dartmouth  which 
became  the  town  of  Westport,  where  he  died 
Jan.  5,  1831,  and  she,  Aug.  27,  1833.  His 
farm  joined  that  of  his  brother  Wesson.  His 
home  was  located  a  little  north  of  the  site 
of  the  present  town  almshouse.  Their  children 
were:  Lydia,  May  6,  1770;  Luthan,  born  Feb. 
23,  1774":  Abner,  July  10,  1771 ;  and  Elizabeth, 
Oct.  1,  1781.  The  mother  was  a  direct  descend- 
ant of  Thomas  Cornell,  of  Portsmouth,  R.  I., 
who  came  from  the  County  of  Essex,  England, 
to  Boston,  about  1638,  and  removed  to  Ports- 
mouth, R.  I.,  in  1640,  from  whom  her  descent 
is  tlirough  Samuel,  of  Dartmouth,  Thomas 
Cornell  and  his  wife  Catherine  (Potter),  and 
Peleg  Cornell  and  his  wife  Mary  (Russell). 

(V)  Wesson  Kirby,  born  Oct.  14,  1731,  in 
Dartmouth,  married  there  Feb.  23,  1750, 
Hannah,  born  in  1731,  daughter  of  William 
White,  of  Dartmouth.  They  resided  in  that 
part  of  the  latter  town  which  in  1787  became 
the  town  of  Westport,  and  near  the  small  fork 
of  the  river  above  the  bridge.     Mr.  Kirby  was 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


603 


surveyor  of  the  highways  in  1771,  1775,  1776, 
1780  and  1781 ;  was  also  selectman  and  assessor, 
in  1779.  He  died  in  Westport  Oct.  9,  1798, 
aged  sixty-seven  years.  His  widow  Hannah 
passed  away  in  1819  at  Westport,  Mass.  Their 
children  were:  Nathan,  born  July  4,  1751; 
William,  March  21,  1753;  Sarah,  April  11, 
1755;  George,  March  9,  1757;  Wesson,  April 
15,  1759;  Elihu,  June  13,  1761;  Benjamin, 
June  18,  1763 ;  Jonathan,  July  14,  1765  ;  Mary, 
in  1767;  Hannah,  July  19,  1769;  Ruth,  Oct. 
19,  1771;  Paul,  Oct.  20,  1773;  Abraham,  Dec. 
11.  1775;  and  Elizabeth.  The  mother  of  these 
was  a  direct  descendant  of  Francis  Cooke,  of 
the  "Mayflower,"  1620,  from  whom  her  descent 
is  through  Elder  John  Cooke,  of  Plymouth  and 
Dartmouth,  and  his  wife  Sarah  (Warren),  she 
a  daughter  of  Richard  Warren,  also  of  the 
"Mayflower";  Arthur  Hathaway  and  his  wife 
Sarah  (Cooke),  of  Marshfield  and  Dartmouth; 
George  Cadman  and  his  wife  Hannah  (Hatha- 
way) ;  and  William  White  and  his  wife  Eliza- 
beth (Cadman). 

(VI)  Abraham  Kirby,  son  of  Wesson,  born 
Dec.  11,  1775,  in  that  part  of  Dartmouth  which 
became  the  town  of  Westport,  married  Feb.  -3, 
1803,  Eunice,  daughter  of  Obed  and  Sarah 
(Peckham)  White,  he  a  son  of  George  and 
Deborah  (Shaw)  White  and  grandson  of  Wil- 
liam White,  of  Dartmouth,  the  latter  of  whom 
is  believed  by  some  (and  while  there  are  no 
positive  records  yet  found  of  the  connection 
there  are  evidences  pointing  to  it)  to  be  a  son 
of  Samuel  White,  of  Rochester,  who  was  the 
son  of  Resolved  White  and  grandson  of  William 
White,  of  the  "Mavflower,"  1620  (see  pp.  347- 
348.  "The  Kirbys'of  New  England").  This 
William  White,  of  Dartmouth,  moreover,  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Cadman,  a  direct  descendant  of 
Francis  Cooke,  of  the  "Mayflower."  The  chil- 
dren of  Abraham  and  Eunice  (White)  Kirby, 
all  born  in  the  town  of  Westport,  Mass.,  were: 
Amy,  bom  Jan.  20,  1804;  Abner,  May  4,  1806  ; 
Harvey,  in  1810;  Deborah,  Dec.  24,  1812; 
Stephen  P.,  April  9,  1815;  and  Harvey  W., 
Sept.  8,  1819. 

(VII)  Stephen  P.  Kirby,  son  of  Abraham, 
born  April  9,  1815,  married  (first)  June  30, 
1839,  Harriet  N.,  born  May  18,  1820,  daugh- 
ter of  Nathan  Crary  Brownell,  of  Westport, 
Mass.  She  died  May  21,  1857,  and  he  married 
(second)  Jan.  1,  1871,  Diana,  born  in  1842, 
daughter  of  Charles  M.  and  Desire  Macomber, 
of  Tiverton.  R.  I.  Mr.  Kirby  lived  at  West- 
port,  Mass.,  where  for  many  years  be  was  a 
<lrover  and  large  cattle  merchant,  buying  cattle 
at  Brighton,  and  distributing  them  through 
southern    Massachusetts.    His   children   were: 


Albert  C,  born  March  17,  1841 ;  Wilfred  Smith, 
July  31,  1843  (died  Jan.  3,  1878)  ;  Edward 
B.,  Sept.  21,  1847  (died  at  sea  in  1862)  ;  Frank 
R.,  May  28,  1850  (married  Oct.  11,  1877,  Cora 
L.  Eddy,  and  is  in  business  in  New  Bedford)  ; 
Henry  P.,  Aug.  15,  1856  (died  March  1,  1862). 

(VIII)  Albert  C.  Kirby,  son  of  Stephen 
P.,  born  March  17,  1841,  married  Jan.  21, 1869, 
Cynthia  White  Brownell,  born  Aug.  15,  1843, 
daughter  of  Holder  and  Love  (Baker)  Brovmell, 
the  former  a  great-grandson  of  Abner  Brownell, 
the  first  town  clerk  of  Westport,  and  the  latter 
a  daughter  of  Ezra  and  Susan  Baker.  Mr. 
Kirby  has  long  been  one  of  the  substantial  and 
influential  men  of  Bristol  county.  He  was 
elected  collector  of  taxes  in  Westport  in  1863, 
and  held  office  for  four  years.  In  1863  he 
was  elected  town  clerk,  and  held  that  office 
six  years.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  and 
auctioneer  for  about  thirty-four  years.  He 
was  made  deputy  sheriff  of  the  county  in  1879, 
and  true  to  the  example  set  by  earlier  genera- 
tions of  the  Dartmouth-Westport-New  Bedford 
Kirbys  proved  an  efficient  and  faithful  public 
servant,  and  like  them  a  "stayer,"  for  he  sus- 
tained such  relation  to  Bristol  county  for  thirty 
years.  In  1894  he  was  made  special  deputy 
sheriff.  In  politics  he  has  always  been  a  stanch 
Republican.  More  recently  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  business  in  New  Bedford,  being  now 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Kirby  &  Hicks,  livery- 
men. In  1890  and  1891  Mr.  Kirby  represented 
the  towns  of  Westport  and  Dartmouth  in  the 
Massachusetts  Assembly. 

The  children  of  Albert  C.  and  Cynthia 
Wiite  (Brownell)  Kirby  were:  Holder  Crary, 
born  Aug.  8,  1874 ;  and  Wilfred  Stephen,  born 
Feb.  3,  1883,  who  is  in  business  with  his  father. 

(IX)  Holder  C.  Kirby,  M.  D.,  son  of  Al- 
bert C.  and  Cynthia  White  (Brownell),  was 
born  in  the  town  of  Dartmouth  Aug.  8,  1874. 
His  early  education  was  acquired  in  the  public 
schools'  of  New  Bedford,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1893.  He  then 
entered  Brown  University,  taking  the  regular 
course  for  three  years  and  doing  special  work 
in  biology.  He  graduated  from  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in 
1900,  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  During  his 
course  he  gave  special  attention  to  the  study 
of  pathology.  After  receiving  his  degree  he 
went  to  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  as  resident  physician 
at  Mercy  hospital,  after  which  he  spent  three 
months  in  the  Children's  hospital  at  Phila- 
dephia,  and  five  months  in  the  Municipal  hos- 
pital. He  was  at  the  latter  place  during  the 
great  smallpox  epidemic  in  the  fall  of  1901, 
when  about  three  thousand  cases,  were  treated 


604 


SOUTHEASTEEX  MASSACHUSETTS 


in  the  hospital,  about  a  third  proving  fatal. 
In  1902  he  opened  an  office  in  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
and  remained  there  until  Dec.  1st,  when  he 
located  in  New  Bedford,  opening  an  office, 
where  he  has  continued  most  successfully  in  his 
practice.  In  January,  1903,  he  was  appointed 
city  physician,  and  this  office  he  has  continued 
to  fill.  In  October,  1904,  he  was  made  assistant 
surgeon,  at  St.  Luke's  hospital,  and  in  March, 
1906,  he  was  elected  surgeon.  He  is  a  member 
and  former  counselor  of  the  Massachusetts 
Medical  Society;  member  of  the  South  Bristol 
District  and  New  Bedford  Medical  Societies, 
and  of  the  American  Medical  Association.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Boston  Medical  Library. 

While  a  student  at  Brown  University  Dr. 
Kirby  was  a  member  of  the  Chi  Phi  Greek 
letter  society,  and  at  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania he  belonged  to  the  Theta  Nu  Epsilon 
and  Alpha  Mu  Pi  Omega  of  the  medical  de- 
partment. He  also  belonged  to  the  Pepper 
Medical  Society. 

Dr.  Kirby  married  Mary  Eleanor,  daughter 
of  Thomas  F.  and  Ellen  L.  Wood,  of  New  Bed- 
ford.   They  have  no  children. 

FEED  HERBERT  PACKARD,  of  Brock- 
ton, one  of  the  enterprising  and  successful 
business  men  of  that  city,  is  prominently  iden- 
tified with  manufacturing  interests,  being  pro- 
prietor of  the  well  known  shoe  tool  concern 
of  Snell  &  Atherton,  Incorporated,  one  of  the 
pioneer  industries  of  old  North  Bridgewater 
(now  Brockton),  the  business  having  been 
established  by  his  father-in-law,  Varanus  Snell. 
Its  products  are  known  the  world  over.  Mr. 
Packard  is  a  worthy  descendant  of  one  of 
New  England's  earliest  settled  families.  He 
was  born  Feb.  3,  1854,  in  West  Bridgewater, 
son  of  the  late  Japhet  Beals  and  Lucretia 
Parker  (Dunbar)  Packard.  The  history  of 
this  branch  of  the  Packard  family  follows : 

(I)  Samuel  Packard,  with  his  wife  and 
child,  came  from  Windham,  England,  in  1638, 
in  the  ship  "Diligence,"  and  settled  in 
Hingham,  Mass.,  where  in  that  same  year  he 
had  a  grant  of  land.  He  removed  from  Hing- 
ham and  became  a  resident  of  what  is  now 
West  Bridgewater,  Mass.  He  was  constable 
in  1664,  and  in  1670  was  licensed  to  keep  a 
tavern.  His  will  was  dated  in  1684,  which 
was  about  the  time  of  his  death.  His  children 
baptized  in  Hingham  were:  Zaccheus,  April 
20,  1651 ;  Jane,  April  20,  1651 ;  Abigail,  April 
20,  1651;  and  Deliverance,  July  11,  1652.  He 
had  other  children  :  Elizabeth,  Samuel,  Thomas, 
John,  Nathaniel,  Mary,  Hannah,  Israel,  Jael 
and  Deborah. 


(II)  Nathaniel  Packard,  son  of  Samuel, 
married  a  daughter  of  John  Kangman,  and 
their  children  were:  Samuel,  Zachariah, 
George,  Fearnot,  Margaret,  Sarah,  Lydia, 
Faithful,  Hannah,  Deliverance,  Elizabeth, 
Mary  and  Deborah.  The  father's  \vill  bears 
date  of  1720. 

(III)  Zachariah  Packard,  son  of  Nathaniel, 
married  in  1724  Abigail,  daughter  of  Richard 
Davenport,  and  their  children  were :  Elijah, 
born  in  1726  ;  Abigail,  born  in  1728;  Nathaniel, 
born  in  1730;  and  Nathan,  born  in  1733.  The 
father's  will  was  dated  in  1771. 

(IV)  Capt.  Nathan  Packard,  born  in  1733, 
married  in  1758  Lydia,  daughter  of  Ephraim 
Jackson,  and  their  children  were :  Oliver, 
Elijah,  Nathan,  Ransom,  Perez,  Sullivan, 
Jonas,  Sarali,  Abigail,  Lydia,  Olive,  Roxana. 
The  father  died  on  Feb.  17,  1798,  aged  sixty- 
five  years,  and  the  mother  died  April  1,  1812. 
Capt.  Nathan  Packard  was  active  in  the  war 
of  the  Revolution.  He  was  first  lieutenant  in 
Capt.  Josiah  Hayden's  company.  Col.  Bailey's 
regiment,  which  served  as  minute-men,  march- 
ing on  April  19,  1775,  on  the  Lexington  alarm. 
He  was  captain  of  a  company  in  Col.  Thomas 
Carpenter's  regiment  of  State  militia,  from 
July  25,  to  Sept.  9,  1778,  in  service  in  Rhode 
Island,  and  was  also  captain  of  a  company  in 
Maj.  Eiiplialet  Cary's  regiment  that  nvirched 
on  the  Rhode  Island  alarm,  July  22,  1780,  by 
order  of  council  from  North  Bridgewater. 

(V)  Elijah  Packard,  son  of  Capt.  Nathan, 
married  in  1789  Susanna,  daughter  of  Japhet 
Beal.  Their  children  were:  Lewis,  born  in 
1789;  Libbeus,  born  in  1791;  Lydia,  born  in 
1793;  Isaac,  born  in  1795;  Elijah,  born  in 
1797;  Clara,  born  in  1799;  Patience,  born  in 
1801 ;  Susanna,  born  in  1803 ;  Nathan,  born 
in  1806 ;  Sophronia,  born  in  1808 ;  and  Den- 
nison,  born  in  1811.  The  father  died  in  1832, 
aged  sixty-six  years,  and  his  widow  died  in 
1849,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 

(VI)  Isaac  Packard  was  born  May  2,  1795. 
in  West  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  where  he  died  at 
the  age  of  about  thirty-three  years.  He  was 
a  farmer  and  shoemaker.  He  married  in  1816 
Mary  Jones  Foster,  of  Whitman,  Mass.,  and 
after  his  death  she  married  (second)  Ezekiel 
Ripley,  of  Plympton,  Mass.,  where  she  died. 
She  was  the  mother  of  the  following  children : 
Orlando  H.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years;  Japhet  B.,  mentioned  below;  and  Perez 
(a /Shoemaker),  who  married  Mercy  Sherman, 
of  Plympton,  and  died  in  Rockland,  Massachu- 
setts. 

(VII)  Japhet  Beals  Packard,  son  of  Isaac 
and  Mary  J.  (Foster)  Packard,  was  born  Sept. 


^ 


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SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


605 


7,  1819,  in  Easton,  Mass.  He  died  June  2, 
1909,  at  his  home  on  North  Ehn  street  in  West 
Bridgewater,  in  which  town  lie  had  resided  for 
over  eighty  years.  While  he  was  still  very 
young  his  parents  removed  to  that  part  of 
West  Bridgewater  known  as  Jerusalem,  and  he 
was  seven  years  old  when  they  settled  in  the 
more  central  part  of  the  town,  where  he  lived 
upon  a  farm  near  the  site  of  his  late  home. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools, 
and  among  his  classmates  were  Benjamin  B. 
Howard  (founder  of  Howard  Seminary), 
Charles  Howard,  Horatio  Howard,  John  Dun- 
bar and  Elihu  Leonard,  all  of  whom  long  pre- 
ceded him  in  death.  When  sixteen  years  old  he 
went  to  Plympton,  whence  after  a  residence  of 
five  j'ears  he  returned  to  West  Bridgewater, 
where  he  continued  to  make  his  home  during 
the  remainder  of  his  long  life.  He  learned  the 
trade  of  shoemaker  with  his  stepfather,  Ezekiel 
Ripley,  at  Plympton,  remaining  with  him  five 
or  six  years ;  and  for  fifty  years  in  all  followed 
that  calling.  He  began  it  in  the  primitive  days 
when  shoes  were  made  in  small  shops  near  the 
home  of  the  tradesman,  and  Mr.  Packard  em- 
ployed several  hands  in  his  .shop.  None  of 
the  work  was  done  by  machine  at  that  time. 
When  the  various  manufacturers  began  to  do 
business  upon  a  larger  scale  and  the  smaller 
business  men  were  crowded  out  he  became  em- 
ployed at  the  P.  &  N.  Copeland  factory,  in 
Campello,  where  he  acted  as  superintendent. 
About  twenty  years  prior  to  his  death  he  gave 
up  shoemaking  in  order  to  spend  more  time 
in  the  open  air,  working  considerably  upon  his 
farm  and  carrying  on  a  large  garden.  For 
several  years  he  also  had  charge  of  Pine  Hill 
cemetery,  in  West  Bridgewater.  In  fact,  he 
continued  to  be  active  up  to  within  a  short 
time  before  his  decease,  always  finding  some- 
thing to  do  about  the  farm  and  home. 

Mr.  Packard's  devotion  to  outdoor  sports 
continued  to  be  one  of  his  chief  sources  of  en- 
joyment until  a  few  weeks  before  he  died.  He 
was  considered  the  best  marksman  with  a  rifle 
in  all  the  region,  and  except  for  the  last  five 
years  of  his  life  never  missed  the  annual  fall 
outing  at  Brant  Rock,  where  with  his  gun  and 
his  dog  he  went  for  several  days'  shooting 
along  the  seashore.  In  1895,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-six,  he  purchased  a  bicycle,  which  he 
rode  for  nearly  ten  years.  He  was  always  a 
special  favorite  with  children,  and  was  in- 
terested in  watching  young  folks  at  their  sports, 
when  they  gathered  at  play  near  his  home.  He 
was  well  known  to  old  and  young,  and  among 
all  classes,  and  had  scores  of  friends  and  well 
wishers  wherever  he  went.    He  never  took  any 


special  part  in  public  affairs  and  would  never 
accept  office,  though  he  was  public-spirited  and 
attended  town  meetings  regularly.  His  word 
and  opinion  carried  great  weight,  and  he  gave 
his  support  to  all  enterprises  intended  for  the 
benefit  of  the  public,  and  he  was  a  regular 
voter  at  local  and  national  elections. 

On  Sept.  25,  1843,  Mr.  Packard  married 
Lucretia  Parker  Dunbar,  daughter  of  Perez 
and  Nancy  (Willis)  Dunbar.  She  was  born 
in  North  Bridgewater,  but  at  the  time  of  her 
marriage  was  living  in  West  Bridgewater, 
where  the  ceremony  was  performed  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Cogswell.  In  1844  they  moved  into  the  home 
on  North  Elm  street  where  they  ever  after- 
ward resided,  and  there  they  celebrated  the 
silver  and  golden  anniversaries  of  their  wed- 
ding. Their  wedded  life  covered  over  sixty- 
five  years,  Mrs.  Packard  passing  away  Feb.  32, 
1910,  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of  her  age.  Six 
children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Packard: 
Hattie  married  Edward  C.  Hall,  of  Freeport, 
Maine,  and  is  now  a  widow,  residing  in  Whit- 
man, Mass. ;  Lucius  Sumner,  who  resides  in 
Walpole,  Mass.,  married  Helen  E.  Ripley; 
Fred  Herbert  is  mentioned  below;  Charles 
Everett  married  Eugenia  Young  and  resides 
in  West  Bridgewater;  Ernest  Lincoln  died  at 
the  age  of  thirty-two  years ;  Jennie  Beals  died 
aged  eighteen  years. 

(VIII)  Fred  Herbert  Packard,  son  of 
Japhet  Beals  and  Lucretia  Parker  (Dunbar) 
Packard,  was  born  Feb.  2,  1854,  in  West 
Bridgewater,  Mass.,  and  acquired  his  early 
schooling  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
town.  Leaving  school  when  about  sixteen  years 
of  age,  he  took  up  shoemaking  with  his  father, 
continuing  at  home  until  he  had  reached  the 
age  of  twenty.  He  then  came  to  Campello, 
where  he  worked  at  shoemaking  for  Elmer  L. 
Keith,  George  E.  Keith  and  C.  W.  Copeland 
&  Co.,  respectively,  until  Feb.  18,  1880,  when 
he  entered  the  employ  of  Snell  &  Atherton,  as 
a  machinist  on  the  making  of  machine  tools, 
in  which  capacity  he  remained  for  about  six 
years.  Later  he  was  made  bookkeeper  and 
salesman,  as  well  as  shipper,  for  the  concern, 
acting  as  such  until  about  1898,  at  which  time 
he  became  a  partner  in  the  business.  On  Jan. 
1,  1903,  he  became  sole  ovraer  of  the  business, 
the  founder,  Mr.  Snell,  retiring.  In  January, 
1907,  the  business  was  chartered  as  an  in- 
corporation under  the  Massachusetts  laws  as 
Snell  &  Atherton,  Incorporated,  with  Fred  H. 
Packard  as  president  and  treasurer,  and  War- 
ren B.  Packard  (his  son)  as  clerk  of  the 
corporation.  This  well  known  concern  is  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  hand  tools  of  all 


606 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


kinds  for  shoe  workers,  and  duplicate  parts 
for  shoe  machinery  of  various  kinds,  their 
products  having  a  world-wide  reputation  for 
perfection  and  uniform  quality.  They  are 
used  in  every  country  where  shoes  are  made. 
The  firm  gives  employment  to  about  twenty 
expert  and  skilled  mechanics,  several  of  whom 
have  been  connected  with  this  concern  con- 
tinuously for  nearly  fifty  years. 

Mr.  Packard  has  also  been  successfully  en- 
gaged in  the  real  estate  business  to  some  ex- 
tent. In  1888-89  he  opened  up  two  tracts  of 
land  on  Herrod  and  Martland  streets,  and  sev- 
enty lots  were  disposed  of.  He  also  owns 
various  other  plots  in  different  parts  of  the 
city. 

Mr.  Packard  is  of  a  musical  turn  of  mind, 
and  for  about  twelve  years  was  a  member  of 
Martland's  Band,  in  which  he  played  first 
clarinet;  during  four  years  of  that  time  he 
was  secretary  and  treasurer  of  that  well-known 
musical  organization.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch 
supported  of  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  he  has  always  manifested  a  keen 
interest  in  the  affairs  of  his  adopted  city.  In 
1892  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  common 
council,  and  in  1896  and  1897  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  aldermen,  from  Ward  Seveji, 
being  president  of  the  board  the  last  year. 
During  the  first  year  he  was  a  member  of  the 
latter  board  he  was  a  member  of  the  committees 
on  Finance,  Accounts,  Highways  and  Health, 
and  the  last  year  was  chairman  of  the  above 
committees,  and  also  a  member  of  the  police 
committee. 

For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Packard  has  been 
prominently  identified  with  various  financial 
institutions  of  Brockton,  having  served  for 
eleven  years  as  a  trustee  of  the  People's  Sav- 
ings Bank,  since  which  time  he  has  been  a 
trustee  of  the  Brockton  Savings  Bank,  which 
he  has  served  several  years  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  investment,  and  in  April,  1910,  was 
elected  second  vice  president.  He  has  also  been 
a  director  for  a  number  of  years  of  the  Se- 
curity Cooperative  Bank  of  Brockton. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Packard  is  an  active  and 
prominent  member  of  the  Masonic  organization 
of  many  years'  standing,  holding  membership 
in  St.  George  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Cam- 
pello,  of  which  he  became  a  member  in  1877; 
Satucket  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.  (of  which  he  has 
been  a  member  over  twenty  years) ;  Brockton 
Council,  R.  &  S.  M. ;  and  Bay  State  Com- 
mandery.  Knights  Templar,  of  Brockton;  he 
also  belongs  to  Aleppo  Temple,  Mystic  Shrine, 
of  Boston,  which  he  joined  in  1889,  and  is  a 
life  member  of  the  lodge,  chapter  and  com- 


mandery.  In  1874  he  joined  Massasoit  Lodge,. 
No.  69,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  and  he  has  been  a  member 
for  many  years  of  the  Commercial  Club  of 
Brockton,  which  is  composed  of  the  city's  lead- 
ing business  and  professional  men. 

On  June  29,  1882,  Mr.  Packard  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Idella  Abbiette  Snell,  daughter 
of  Varanus  Snell,  the  founder  of  the  Snell  & 
Atherton  concern,  and  his  wife,  Emily  Hewins 
Gill,  of  Brockton,  and  this  union  has  been 
blessed  with  one  son,  Warren  Belcher,  bom 
July  14,  1887.  He  graduated  from  the  Brock- 
ton high  school  in  1906,  after  which  he  at- 
tended Phillips  Exeter  Academy.  He  then  took 
a  business  course  at  Bryant  &  Stratton's  Busi- 
ness College,  Boston,  and  is  now  a  member  of 
Snell  &  Atherton,  Incorporated,  to  which  he 
was  admitted  as  a  partner  early  in  1909,  hav- 
ing started  at  the  bench  and  forge  in  the  tool 
shop  in  1908.  He  is  also  a  member  of  St. 
George  Lorge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Campello; 
Satucket  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  Brockton  Council, 
E.  &  S.  M. ;  and  Bay  State  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar,  of  Brockton;  holding  a  life 
membership  in  the  latter  three  bodies.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Brockton  Country  Club 
and  the  Commercial  Club.  He  is  unmarried, 
and  resides  at  home  with  his  parents. 

WALTER  HAMLET  FAUNCE,  chairman 
of  the  board  of  county  commissioners  of  Ply- 
mouth county,  Mass.,  is  a  lineal  descendant  of 
John  Faunce,  who  was  the  progenitor  of  a  large 
and  well  established  family  in  New  England, 
members  of  which  have  for  generations  made 
their  home  in  Kingston,  Plymouth  county. 

(I)  John  Faunce  came  to  Plymouth  in  the 
"Ann"  in  August,  1633.  He  was,  perhaps, 
then  a  youth,  as  no  wife  or  child  is  mentioned 
for  a  decade.  He  was  a  freeman  in  1633,  in 
which  year  he  married  Patience,  daughter  of 
George  Morton,  and  had :  Priscilla,  who  mar- 
ried Joseph,  son  of  Richard  Warren,  of  the 
"Mayflower"  ;  Mary,  who  married  July  15,  1658, 
William  Harlow ;  Patience,  who  married  Nov. 
20,  1661,  John  Holmes;  Sarah,  who  married 
Feb.  26,  1663,  Edward  Doty,  son  of  Edward 
of  the  "Mayflower,"  and  (second)  John  Buck; 
Thomas,  born  about  1647;  Elizabeth,  bom 
March  23,  1648;  Mercy,  born  April  10,  1651, 
who  married  in  December,  1667,  Nathaniel 
Holmes;  Joseph,  born  May  14, 1653;  and  John, 
born  Nov.  29,  1654  (probably  died  young). 

(II)  Joseph  Faunce,  son  of  John,  bom  May 
14,  1653,  married  Jan.  3,  1677,  Judith  Rickard, 
daughter  of  John  and  Judith  Rickard.  Their 
children  were:  Hannah,  born  1679;  Mary, 
born  1681  (married  Nathaniel  Morton)  ;  John, 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


60r 


born  1683;  Mary,  born  1686;  Mehitabel,  born 
1689  (married  Judah  Hill)  ;  Joseph,  born 
1693;  Eleazer,  born  1696;  Thomas,  born  1698 
(married  Hannah  Damon)  ;  and  Benjamin, 
born  1703. 

(III)  John  Faunce,  son  of  Joseph,  born 
1683,  married  in  1710  Lydia,  born  in  1685, 
daughter  of  Jacob  Cooke,  granddaughter  of 
Jacob  and  Damaris  (Hopkins)  Cooke  (the  lat- 
ter a  daughter  of  Stephen  Hopkins,  of  the 
"Mayflower,"  1680),  and  great-granddaughter 
of  Francis  Cooke,  of  the  "Mayflower,"  1620. 
The  children  of  John  and  Lydia  (Cooke) 
Faunce  were:  Judith,  bom  in  1711,  who 
married  Jabez  Washburn;  Lydia,  born  in 
1714,  who  married  Ebenezer  Washburn;  John, 
bom  in  1716;  Hannah,  born  in  1718,  who  mar- 
ried Charles  Cook;  Mary,  born  in  1720; 
Mehetabel,  born  in  1722,  who  married  Thomas 
Cushman;  and  Rebecca,  born  in  1724,  who  mar- 
ried Tillson  Ripley,  of  Plympton.  The  father 
married  (second)  in  1733  Ruth  Sampson,  and 
their  only  child  was  Mary,  bom  in  1734,  who 
married  Amos  Curtis,  of  Scituate.  He  mar- 
ried (third)  Lydia  (Tilden)  Cook,  widow  of 
Simeon  Cook,  and  by  this  union  had  a  son 
Benjamin,  born  in  1742. 

(IV)  John  Faunce,  son  of  John,  was  bom 
in  1716,  and  was  of  Kingston.  He  married 
Hannah,  widow  of  Robert  Cook,  and  daughter 
of  Elijah  Bisbee.  Their  children  were :  Lydia, 
bom  in  1746,  who  married  Josiah  Cook ;  John, 
born  in  1747;  Hannah,  bom  in  1749;  Eleazer, 
born  in  1751;  Eleanor,  born  in  1753;  Molly, 
born  in  1755,  who  married  John  Cook;  Joanna, 
born  in  1757,  who  married  Zenas  Cook ;  Elijah, 
bom  in  1759;  Sarah,  born  in  1760;  and  Sarah 
(2),  bom  in  1764. 

(V)  Elijah  Faunce,  of  Kingston,  son  of 
John  and  Hannah,  born  in  March,  1759,  mar- 
ried in  1785  Lydia,  daughter  of  Ichabod  Water- 
man, and  their  children  were :  Elijah,  bom 
in  1787,  who  died  aged  fifteen  years;  Kilborn, 
bom  in  1789;  Nathaniel,  born  in  1791;  Lydia, 
born  in  1793,  who  married  Spencer  Bradford ; 
Sally  (twin),  born  in  1793;  and  Charles  Cook, 
born  May  21,  1801. 

(VI)  Charles  Cook  Faunce,  son  of  Elijah 
and  Lydia  (Waterman),  was  born  in  Kingston, 
Mass.,  May  21,  1801.  He  was  educated  in  the 
local  schools,  and  then  learned  the  mason's 
trade,  which  he  followed  nearly  all  his  life, 
being  engaged  as  a  builder  in  stone  and  brick. 
His  home  was  always  in  his  native  town,  and 
be  became  greatly  interested  in  public  affairs. 
For  fifteen  years  he  held  the  office  of  town 
clerk,  and  also  filled  several  minor  positions. 
He   died    Oct.   26,   1878,   and   was  buried   in 


Kingston.  He  married  Amelia  Washburn,  who 
was  born  in  Kingston  Jan.  7,  1807,  daughter 
of  Seth  and  Sarah  (Adams)  Washburn,  and 
died  Oct.  8,  1881 ;  she  was  buried  beside  her 
husband.  Their  children  were:  Walter  Ham- 
let, born  Nov.  16,  1832;  Amelia  Washburn, 
born  March  1,  1834,  who  married  George 
McLaughlin  (both  are  deceased) ;  Charles 
Thomas,  born  April  19,  1835,  who  lives  at 
Kingston;  and  Sewall  Allen,  born  Feb.  9,  1841, 
who  resides  in  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

(VII)  Walter  Hamlet  Faunce,  son  of  Charles 
Cook  and  Amelia  (Washburn),  was  born  in 
Kingston,  Mass.,  Nov.  16,  1832.  He  received' 
a  good  education,  first  attending  the  public 
schools  in  his  home  town,  and  then  going  to  the 
East  Greenwich  Academy,  East  Greenwich, 
R.  I.  Returning  to  Kingston  he  began  teach- 
ing, and  for  fifteen  years  was  thus  engaged  ini 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  town.  He  then 
began  surveying  and  civil  engineering,  in  which 
he  has  since  been  more  or  less  engaged  in  Kings- 
ton and  adjoining  towns,  but  the  best  part  of 
his  life  has  been  given  to  public  affairs.  He 
has  served  as  selectman,  overseer  of  the  poor 
and  assessor  for  a  number  of  years,  during  eight 
years  being  chairman  of  the  board  of  select- 
men. In  1882  Mr.  Faunce  was  elected  county 
commissioner  of  Plymouth  county,  and  with 
tlie  exception  of  five  years,  from  1885  to  1890, 
he  has  since  served  continuously  in  that  office, 
and  for  eight  years  has  been  chairman  of  the 
board.  During  his  long  service  many  public 
improvements  have  been  effected — new  build- 
ings and  bridges,  including  the  fine  courthouse 
at  Brockton,  and  the  registry  building  at  Ply- 
mouth, both  from  an  architectural  standpoint 
among  the  best  in  the  State;  the  bridges  at 
Buzzard's  Bay  and  over  the  North  river  in 
the  town  of  Hanson.  At  the  present  time  there 
is  in  coiirse  of  construction  the  new  prison  at 
Plymouth,  built  of  concrete,  which  contains 
one  h^indred  and  fifty-nine  cells.  Mr.  Faunce 
is  conscientious  in  his  work,  and  having,  from 
long  experience,  a  general  knowledge  of  all 
matters  pertaining  to  town  or  county  affairs, 
is  able  to  see  that  the  contracts  are  honestly 
carried  out.  In  1880  he  was  elected  to  the 
State  Legislature,  where  he  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  on  Insurance.  He  has 
been  active  in  work  for  the  public  schools,  and 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  been  a  member 
of  the  school  board,  and  many  years  its 
chairman.  In  1867  he  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Ames  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  has 
held  that  commission  ever  since,  probably  being 
the  oldest  justice  in  point  of  service  in  the 
State.     He  is  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of 


608 


SOUTHEASTERN"  MASSACHUSETTS 


Agriculture,  and  is  vice  president  of  the  Marsh- 
field  Agricultural  Society,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  was  vice  president  of  the  Plymouth 
County  Agricultural  Society.  Fraternally  he 
belongs  to  Corner  Stone  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
of  Duxbury;  and  Adams  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  of 
Kingston.     He  attends  the  Unitarian  Church. 

In  December,  1863,  Mr.  Faunce  was  married 
to  Arabella  Ryder,  daughter  of  Merrick  and 
Lucy  Ryder,  of  Plymouth.  She  died  in  Kings- 
ton in  May,  1870,  and  was  buried  in  the  New 
cemetery.  They  had  two  children:  Lucy  D., 
born  July  28,  1865,  who  resides  at  home,  un- 
married ;  and  Charles  M.,  mentioned  below.  Mr. 
Faunce  -married  (second)  in  1874  in  Smith- 
field,  R.  I.,  Elizabeth  Brown,  daughter  of 
Waterman  Brown,  of  that  town.  No  children 
have  been  born  of  this  marriage. 

(VIII)  Charles  Merrick  Faunce,  son  of 
Walter  Hamlet  and  Arabella  (Ryder),  was  born 
in  Kingston,  Aug.  2,  1868.  He  graduated  from 
the  high  school  there,  after  which  he  entered 
Exeter  Academy,  at  Exeter,  where  he  prepared 
for  college.  He  graduated  from  Harvard  Uni- 
versity in  1892,  with  the  degree  of  A.  B.,  and 
then  became  an  instructor  in  the  Massachusetts 
Institute  of  Technology,  Boston,  where  he  re- 
mained for  three  years.  Failing  health  com- 
pelled him  to  give  up  his  profession,  and  he 
went  West,  but  all  in  vain.  He  returned  home, 
and  died  July  16,  1899.  He  was  unmarried. 
He  was  a  young  man  of  unusual  ability  and 
promise,  and  his  pleasant  manners  and  sterling 
character  won  him  many  friends  who  sincerely 
mourned  his  taking  away  when  seemingly  on 
the  very  threshold  of  a  life  of  true  usefulness. 


Washbdkn.  (I)  John  Washburn,  of  Kings- 
ton, married  Lydia  Billington,  and  their 
children  were :  John,  born  in  1699 ;  Ichabod, 
born  in  1701;  Mercy,  born  in  1702;  Elisha, 
born  in  U03;  Ephraim,  born  in  1705;  Barna- 
bas, born  in  1707;  Jabez,  born  in  1708; 
Ebenezer,  born  iji  1709;  and  Thankful,  born  in 
1715.  There  was  an  earlier  John  Washburn, 
of  Duxbury,  1632,  who,  with  his  two  sons,  John 
and  Philip,  was  included  with  those  able  to 
bear  arms  in  the  Colony  in  1643,  and  his  name 
is  also  among  the  first  freemen  of  Duxbury. 
He  and  his  son  John  were  original  proprietors 
of  Bridgewater,  and  they  and  Philip  became 
residents  and  settlers  there  in  South  Bridge- 
water  as  early  as  1665.  The  name  was  per- 
petuated through  the  son  John.  Mitchell  sup- 
posed that  all  of  the  name  in  the  Bridgewater 
part  of  the  country  descended  from  John  of 
Duxbury.  Davis  gives  no  evidence  of  any  con- 
nection between  the  John  of  Duxbury  and  John 


of  Kingston.     Savage  and  Pope  make  no  men- 
tion of  John  Washburn  of  Kingston. 

(II)  John  Washburn  (2),  of  Kingston,  son 
of  John,  of  Kingston,  married  Abigail  Johnson, 
and  their  children  were:  John,  born  in  1730; 
Abigail,  born  in  1732,  who  married  Abner 
Sylvester;  Mary,  born  in  1734;  Mercy,  born 
in  1736;  Seth,  born  in  1738;  Philip,  bom  in 
1739  ;  and  Thankful,  born  in  1742. 

(III)  Seth  Washburn,  son  of  John  (2),  born 
in  1738,  in  Kingston,  married  in  1765  Fear 
Howard,  and  their  children  were:  Fear,  who 
married  John  Foster ;  Persis,  who  married  John 
Turner;  Abigail,  who  married  Zenas  Churchill; 
Seth;  and  Ichabod,  who  married  Ann  Fuller, 
of  Plymouth. 

(IV)  Seth  Washburn,  son  of  Seth  and  Fear 
(Howard),  born  in  1769,  married  in  1792  Sarah 
Adams,  and  had  children;  Marcia,  born  in 
1793,  who  married  Nathaniel  Faunce ;  Sally, 
born  in  1796,  who  married  Solomon  Davie; 
Christiana  Drew,  born  in  1799,  who  married 
Nahum  Bailey;  Hannah,  who  married  Sewall 
Rice,  of  Worcester,  Mass. ;  Judith,  who  married 
Francis  Johnson ;  and  Amelia. 

(V)  Amelia  Washburn,  daughter  of  Seth  and 
Sarah  (Adams),  born  Jan.  7,  1807,  married 
Charles  Cook  Faunce,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  Walter  Hamlet  Faunce. 


Brown.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Brown)  Faunce  be- 
longs to  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  prominent 
families  in  Rhode  Island  history.  The  Browns 
have  been  closely  and  conspicuously  identified 
with  the  history  of  Providence  since  the  coming 
of  Chad  Brown  in  1638,  a  leader  in  the  Colony, 
one  of  the  committee  to  formulate  the  first 
written  form  of  government  for  the  town,  and 
the  first  settled  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
James  and  Obadiah  Brown,  of  the  fourth  gen- 
eration, were  the  founders  of  the  extensive  com- 
mercial house  of  the  Browns,  which  in  the  suc- 
ceeding generations  was  conducted  by  the  four 
Brown  Brothers — Nicholas,  Moses,  John  and 
Joseph  of  commercial  note  and  wealth.  In  the 
succeeding  generation  came  Nicholas  Brown 
(2),  an  eminent  merchant  and  philanthropist, 
whose  munificent  gifts  made  possible  the  great 
Brown  University  of  to-day,  as  well  as  some  of 
the  great  public  institutions  of  Providence,  and 
from  whom  the  imiversity  derived  its  name. 

(I)  Chad  Brown,  accompanied  by  his  wife 
Elizabeth,  son  John,  then  eight  years  of  age, 
and  perhaps  his  younger  sons,  emigrated  from 
England  in  the  ship  "Martin,"  which  arrived 
at  Boston,  Mass.,  in  July,  1638.  He  soon  re- 
moved to  Providence,  where  he  became  at  once 
a  leader  in  the  Colony  and  one  of  the  most 


t* 


\^¥^ 


^o/a-t^  y)." O li-i.^^^j^L 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


609 


valued  citizens.  In  1640  he  was  one  of  a  com- 
mittee who  reported  to  Providence  Colony  the 
first  written  form  of  government,  which  was 
adopted  and  continued  in  force  until  1644, 
when  Eoger  Williams  returned  from  England 
with  the  first  charter.  In  1642  Chad  Brown 
was  ordained  as  the  first  settled  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  Church.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth,  and 
their  children  were:  John,  James,  Jeremiah, 
Judah  and  Daniel. 

(II)  John  Brown,  born  in  1630,  died  about 
1706.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Obadiah  and  Catherine  Holmes,  of  Newport, 
R.  I.,  and  resided  in  Providence,  at  the  north 
end,  in  a  house  near  the  one  afterward  occupied 
by  his  son.  Elder  James,  near  the  junction  of 
North  Main  and  Randall  streets.  Like  his 
father  he  was  a  surveyor  as  well  as  a  Baptist 
elder.  He  served  in  various  important  capac- 
ities, was  moderator,  member  of  the  town 
council,  deputy  in  the  Legislature,  etc.  His 
children  were:  Sarah,  James,  John,  Obadiah, 
Martha,  Mary  and  Deborah. 

(III)  James  Brown,  born  in  1666,  died  Oct. 
28,  1732.  He  married  Dec.  17,  1691,  Mary, 
born  Dec.  17,  1671,  daughter  of  Andrew  and 
Mary  (Tew)  Harris.  She  died  Aug.  18,  1736. 
Mr.  Brown  served  almost  continuously  as  a 
member  of  the  town  council  from  1705  to  1725, 
and  was  town  treasurer  from  1714  to  1718.  He 
was  pastor  or  elder  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
succeeding  Rev.  Ebenezer  Jenckes,  and  he  re- 
mained pastor  until  his  death,  in  1732.  His 
children  were:  John,  James,  Joseph,  Martha, 
Andrew  (born  Sept.  20,  1706),  Mary,  Anna, 
Obadiah,  Jeremiah  and  Elisha. 

(IV)  Joseph  Brown,  son  of  James,  born 
May  5,  1701,  died  May  8,  1778.  He  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  and  resided  in  North 
Providence.  He  married  (first)  Martha  Field, 
daughter  of  William,  of  Field's  Point ;  she  died 
April  19,  1736,  aged  twenty-six  years,  leaving 
one  son,  Gideon,  born  in  1726,  who  married 
Ruth  Rutenberg,  daughter  of  David  and 
Hannah  (Jenks)  Rutenberg.  Joseph  Brown 
married  (second)  Abigail  Brown,  who  died 
May  23,  1784,  in  her  seventy-third  year.  Their 
children  were:    Elisha,  Andrew  and  Joseph. 

(V)  Elisha  Brown,  son  of  Joseph,  of  North 
Providence,  married  Waite  Waterman,  of  Crans- 
ton,  R.    L,    daughter   of   Thomas   Waterman. 

"Their  children  were:  Welcome,  ))orn  May  12, 
1777;  Waterman,  Jan.  7,  1779;  Elizabeth,  Aug. 
23,  1780;  Lydia,  March  5,  1782;  Philena,  Sept. 
19,  1784;  Susanna,  Nov.  3;  1787;  Waite,  March 
13,  1789;  and  Catherine,  Oct.  3,  1791. 

(VI)  Waterman  Brown,  son  of  Elisha,  born 
Jan.   7,  1779,  married  Hannah  Congdon,  and 


they  had  children,  Salmon,  Waterman,  Welcome 
and  Elisha. 

(VII)  Waterman  Brown  (2),  son  of  Water- 
man, married  Eliza  A.  Highland,  and  their 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  born  in  Smithfield,  R.  I., 
was  engaged  as  a  school  teacher.  In  1874  she 
married  Walter  Hamlet  Faunce,  of  Kingston, 
Massachusetts. 

CHARLES  NELSON  ATWOOD,  the  well 
known  box  and  lumber  manufacturer  of  Rock, 
Middleboro,  Mass.,  wa,s  born  June  22,  1844, 
son  of  Ichabod  F.  and  Abigail  T.  (Thomas) 
Atwood. 

The  Atwood  family  was  one  of  some  conse- 
quence in  Great  Britain,  no  less  than  sixteen 
families  of  the  name  having  their  arms  entered 
in  the  Herald's  College.  On  each  side  of  the 
Atlantic  it  has  been  a  prolific  family.  One 
Mr.  John  Atwood,  "gent.,"  from  London,  came 
to  Plymouth  and  was  a  freeman  of  1636;  was 
assistant  in  1638.  He  died  in  1644,  leaving, 
says  Davis,  no  issue ;  and  who  further  says  that 
the  various  branches  of  the  Atwood  family  are 
descended  from  (I)  John  Wood,  of  Plymouth, 
1643.  He  was  called  Wood,  alias  Atwood.  He 
married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Richard  Masterson, 
and  their  children  were:  John,  born  in  1649; 
Nathaniel,  born  in  1651;  Isaac,  born  in  1653; 
Mary,  who  married  (first)  Rev.  John  Holmes, 
of  Duxbury,  and  (second)  Maj.  William  Brad- 
ford; Sarah,  who  married  John  Fallowell; 
Abigail,  who  married  Samuel  Leonard;  Mercy; 
Elizabeth;  and  Hannah,  who  married  Richard 
Cooper. 

(II)  Deacon  Nathaniel  Atwood,  son  of 
John,  bom  Feb.  25,  1651-52,  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Morey,  and  their  chil- 
dren were:  John,  born  May  1,  1684;  Eliz- 
abeth, born  April  24,  1687;  Joanna,  born  Feb. 
27,  1689 ;  Mary,  born  April  26,  1691 ;  Nathan- 
iel, born  Oct.  3,  1693;  Isaac,  born  Dec.  29, 
1695;  Barnabas,  born  Jan.  1,  1697-98;  and 
Joanna  (2),  born  June  8,  1700.  The  father 
was  a  deacon  of  the  church.  He  died  Dec.  17, 
1724,  in  Plympton,  in  his  seventy-fourth  year. 

(III)  Lieut.  Nathaniel  Atwood  (3),  son  of 
Nathaniel,  born  Oct.  3,  1693,  married  (first) 
Mary,  daughter  of  Francis  Adams,  and  (sec- 
ond) Oct.  7,  1747,  Mrs.  Abigail  Lucas.  Mr. 
Atwood  served  as  lieutenant  in  the  military 
company  of  the  town.  He  lived  in  that  part 
of  Plymouth  which  became  Plympton.  His 
children  were :  Mary,  born  in  1723,  who  mar- 
ried Benjamin  Shaw;  Natha'niel,  born  in  1725; 
Francis,  born  in  1728  (bom  to  the  first  mar- 
riage) ;  Sarah,  who  married  Joseph  Barrows; 
Mercy,  who  married  Joseph  Warren;  Ebenezer, 


39 


610 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


born  in  1735;  Kezjah,  bom  in  1737;  William, 
born  in  1740;  Joseph,  born  in  1741;  and 
Ichabod,  born  in  1744  (by  the  second  mar- 
riage). 

(IV)  Ichabod  Atwood,  son  of  Lieut.  Na- 
thaniel, born  in  1744,  in  that  part  of  Plympton 
which  became  Carver,  Mass.,  married  Hannah, 
born  in  1751,  daughter  of  Capt.  Nathaniel  and 
Hannah  (Perkins)  Shaw,  of  Plympton.  Twelve 
children  were  born  to  them,  all  of  whom  lived 
to  attain  middle  life,  among  them  being  a  son 
Nathaniel,  born  April  28,  1782.  The  father 
was  a  farmer  and  also  a  dealer  in  lumber,  wood 
and  charcoal.  The  mother's  father,  Capt. 
Nathaniel  Shaw,  was  a  Patriot  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, commanding  a  company  in  that  mem- 
orable conflict. 

(V)  Nathaniel  Atwood  (3),  son  of  Ichabod, 
born  April  28,  1782,  in  Middleboro,  Mass., 
married  Zilpha,  born  in  1782,  daughter  of 
Francis  and  Mary  (Shaw)  ShurtlefE,  of 
Plympton  and  Carver,  Mass.,  and  of  their  chil- 
dren the  following  reached  mature  years: 
'Flora,  who  married  Elijah  Hackett;  Ichabod 
F.,  of  Middleboro,  Mass.;  and  Eeuel,  Gardiner 
and  Polly  died  young.  Natlianiel  Atwood  in- 
herited the  homestead,  and  like  his  father 
before  him  was  occupied  in  farming  and  dealt 
in  lumber,  wood  and  charcoal. 

(VI)  Ichabod  F.  Atwood,  son  of  Nathaniel 
(3),  was  born  in  Fall  Brook,  Middleboro, 
March  13,  1820.  He  attended  the  district 
school  and  Peirce  Academy,  and  at  about  the 
age  of  fifteen  began  to  teach.  For  some  thirty 
years  he  followed  this  profession,  and  with  the 
exception  of  a  single  year  confined  his  efforts 
to  Plymouth  county.  For  several  years  he  was 
connected  with  the  mills  at  Fall  Brook  and 
Eock,  making  his  home  in  the  latter  town  after 
1866.  In  politics  he  was  a  Eepublican,  and 
filled  many  important  local  offices,  being  justice 
of  the  peace  over  forty-five  years,  surveyor 
forty  years,  selectman  and  overseer  of  the  poor 
three  years,  member  of  the  school  committee 
several  years,  and  auditor  and  assessor.  He 
was  often  called  upon  to  administer  estates. 
In  his  religious  belief  he  was  a  Methodist.  In 
1841  he  married  Abigail  T.  Thomas,  daughter 
of  Harvey  C.  and  Hannah  C.  (Atwood) 
Thomas,  and  they  had  four  children:  Emery 
F.,  Charles  Nelson,  Harvey  N.  and  Hannah 
Z.  Mr.  Atwood  died  at. his  home  in  Rock  in 
1901,  aged  eighty-one  years,  and  was  buried 
in  the  Atwood  lot_in  the  Fall  Brook  cemetery, 
on  the  same  farni  where  he  was  born.  His 
wife  died  in  1906,  aged  eighty-four  years,  and 
was  buried  in  the  same  cemetery. 

(VII)  Charles  Nelson  Atwood,  son  of  Ich- 


abod F.,  born  June  22,  1844,  grew  to  manhood 
on  the  farm,  and  what  education  he  obtained 
was  received  in  the  public  schools  of  Middle- 
boro. He  worked  on  the  home  place  and  in 
the  mill  until  1879,  when  he  took  charge  of 
the  mill  and  box  manufacturing  plant,  where 
he  has  continued  for  the  past  thirty-two  years 
with  great  success.  He  has  made  extensive 
improvements  in  the  plant,  and  in  1904  he 
admitted  his  son  Levi  0.  into  partnership  with 
him,  the  firm  name  being  changed  to  C.  N. 
Atwood  &  Son.  Close  attention  to  business, 
untiring  energy  and  upright  principles  have 
marked  Mr.  Atwood's  business  career,  and  he 
is  reaping  his  reward  not  alone  in  worldly 
goods  but  in  the  respect  of  his  associates.  He 
built  a  modern  home  at  Eock,  and  there  he 
has  since  lived  in  comfort. 

Mr.  Atwood  is  a  man  of  progressive  ideas 
and  public  spirit.  He  has  taken  a  leading, 
part  in  public  affairs,  and  is  at  present  filling 
the  office  of  selectman,  to  which  he  was  elected 
in  1908.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Eepublican, 
and  in  religious  faith  a  Congregationalist,  be- 
ing at  the  present  time  treasurer  of  the  Con- 
gregational Society  of  Eock,  which  office  he  has 
held  for  a  number  of  years.  For  several  years 
he  has  been  a  trustee  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association.  He  is  also  a  trustee  of 
the  Middleboro  Savings  Bank,  and  of  the  Co- 
operative Bank,  of  Middleboro.  He  is  a  lover 
of  outdoor  life,  and  finds  great  enjoyment  in 
automobiling.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Atwood  have 
traveled  extensively  in  this  country  as  well  as 
in  Europe;  they  have  made  several  trips  to 
California  and  Mexico. 

On  Oct.  23,  1866,  Mr.  Atwood  married 
(first)  Eozilla  A.  Barrows,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Orville  and  Amanda  N.  (Wood)  Barrows. 
She  died  Nov.  22,  1874,  in  the  twenty-ninth 
year  of  her  age,  and  was  buried  in  the  ceme- 
tery at  Eock.  To  this  union  were  born:  (1) 
Alton  Barrows,  born  Sept.  20,  1868,  is  men- 
tioned below.  (2)  Levi  Orville,  born  May  4, 
1870,  is  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  C. 
N.  Atwood  &  Son.  He  is  also  a  director  of 
the  Middleboro  National  Bank,  and  a  trustee 
of  the  Cooperative  Bank;  and  president  of  the 
Business  Men's  Club  and  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  of  Middleboro.  On  Sept. 
27,  1892,  he  married  (first)  Eva  G.  Tinkham, 
and  his  second  marriage  was  to  Gertrude  Col- 
lier. He  has  three  children,  two  by  the  first 
marriage,  Eose  Anita,  bom  Oct.  24,  1897,  and 
Marian  Nelson,  born  May  18,  1899;  and  one 
by  the  second,  Grace  Elizabeth,  born  Aug.  27, 
1908. 

Mr.   Charles  N.  Atwood  married    (second) 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


611 


Oct.  17,  1876,  Sarah  A.  Gibbs,  daughter  of 
Francis  Bradford  and  Tirzah  Swift  (Morse) 
Gibbs,  of  Middleboro,  a  descendant  of  one  of 
the  oldest  families  of  Barnstable  county,  and 
as  well  a  descendant  of  Revolutionary  stock 
through  the  Morse  family.  By  this  union 
there  is  one  son,  Ichabod  F.,  born  Feb.  28, 
1883,  who  graduated  from  the  Massachusetts 
School  of  Technology  in  1903,  and  is  now 
engaged  in  box  manufacturing  in  Chelsea  with 
his  brother;  he  is  unmarried. 

(VIII)  Alton  Baeeows  Atwood,  eldest 
son  of  Charles  N.  and  Rozilla  (Barrows) 
Atwood,  was  born  at  Rock,  town  of  Middleboro, 
Sept.  20,  1868.  He  attended  the  public  and 
high  schools  of  Middleboro,  graduating  from 
the  latter  in  1885.  He  then  began  to  learn 
the  boxmaking  business  in  his  father's  factory 
at  Rock,  where  he  continued  until  1893,  be- 
coming familiar  with  all  branches  of  the  bus- 
iness. In  the  latter  year  he  went  to  Chelsea, 
Mass.,  and  there  formed  a  partnership  with  H. 
P.  McManus,  under  the  firm  name  of  Atwood 
&  McManus,  the  father,  Charles  N.  Atwood, 
owning  a  third  interest  in  the  business.  Here 
a  large  plant  was  built,  and  the  manufacture 
of  wooden  boxes  and  packing  cases  was  begun 
on  June  1,  1893,  since  which  time  they  have 
been  kept  busy  with  the  increasing  demand  for 
the  product,  now  having  one  of  the  largest 
factories  of  the  kind  in  New  England.  On 
Sept.  21,  1908,  the  plant  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  after  having  escaped  the  great  Chelsea  fire 
of  but  a  few  months  before,  and  they  met  with 
a  heavy  loss.  However,  they  were  not  .dismayed, 
and  in  place  of  the  first  structure  they  erected 
fine  brick  buildings,  fully  equipped  with  up-to- 
date  machinery,  which  was  put  into  operation 
June  1,  1909.  The  firm  owns  timber  tracts  in 
many  parts  of  New  England,  from  which  the 
supply  of  lumber  is  obtained,  and  also  has 
several  sawmills  in  operation.  Mr.  Atwood  is 
a  man  of  progressive  ideas,  and  is  farsighted 
in  his  investments.  He  gives  his  entire  time 
and  attention  to  the  business  he  knows  so  thor- 
oughly, and  his  genial  personality  has  made 
him  friends  with  the  trade  and  with  his  em- 
ployees as  well.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch 
Republican,  but  he  takes  no  active  part  in 
party  work.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of 
Robert  Lash  Lodge,  A.  P.  &  A.  M.,  of  Chel- 
sea. He  is  also  identified  with  the  financial 
institutions  of  Chelsea,  being  vice  president  of 
the  Chelsea  Trust  Company,  and  a  trustee  of 
the  County  Savings  Bank.  Mr.  Atwood  is  a 
member  of  the  First  Congregational  Church  of 
Chelsea,  and  has  served  as  treasurer  of  the 
church   and   as   a   member   of   the   prudential 


committee;  he  was  also  chairman  of  the  build- 
ing committee  which  had  charge  of  the  erection 
of  the  present  church  edifice,  which  was  built 
in  1905-06. 

In  January,  1895,  Mr.  Atwood  married 
Maud  L.  Webster,  of  Chelsea,  who  died  Sept. 
7,  1900.  On  April  17,  1907,  he  married  (sec- 
ond) Mabel  E.  Coan,  of  Everett,  and  they  have 
one  child,  Charles  Nelson,  2d,  bom  May 
1,  1909. 


Barrows.  The  Barrows  family,  to  which 
the  late  Mrs.  Charles  N.  Atwood  belonged,  was 
early  settled  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony. 
John  Barrus  (or  Barrows,  etc.),  born  in  1609, 
in  England,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight,  left 
Yarmouth,  England,  his  wife  Anne  accompany- 
ing him,  and  came  to  America,  settling  at 
Salem,  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony.  He 
and  his  wife  received  grants  of  land  in  Salem 
in  1637,  and  were  inhabitants  of  that  town  for 
twenty-eight  years,  and  all  their  children  were 
born  there.  They  removed  to  Plymouth  before 
1665,  and  John,  the  immigrant,  died  there  in 
1692.  His  will  shows  that  he  left  a  second 
wife,  younger  than  himself,  and  four  sons: 
Robert;  John;  Benajah,  who  lived  in  Attle- 
boro;  and  Ebenezer,  who  lived  in  Cumberland, 
R.  I.;  and  two  daughters,  Mary  and  Deborah. 

Robert  Barrows,  born  in  Salem,  Massachu- 
setts Bay  Colony,  removed  with  his  father  to 
Plymouth.  He  had  by  his  first  wife,  Ruth 
(Bonum),  four  children:  John,  born  in  1667, 
who  died  in  Plymouth  in  1720;  George,  born 
in  1670;  Samuel,  who  died  in  Middleboro  in 
1755;  and  Mehetabel,  who  married  Adam 
Wright.  He  married  (second)  Lydia  Dunham 
and  had  children :  Robert,  born  in  1689,  who 
died  in  Mansfield,  Conn.,  in  1779;  Thankful, 
born  in  1692,  who  married  Isaac  King;  Elisha, 
who  died  in  1767  in  Rochester,  Mass. ;  Thomas, 
who  died  in  Mansfield  in  1779;  Lydia,  who 
married  Thomas  Branch;  and  Capt.  George. 

Samuel  Barrows,  son  of  Robert,  was  bom  in 
1672.  He  settled  in  Middleboro,  and  in  about 
1700  built  a  garrison  house  which  is  still 
standing  and  known  as  the  old  Barrows  house. 
He  was  elected  deacon  of  the  First  Church 
in  1725.  He  married  (first)  Mercy  Coombs, 
who  died  in  1718,  and  (second)  Joanna  Smith. 
He  died  Dec.  30,  1755,  aged  eighty-three  years. 

There,  too,  was  a  Samuel  Barrows,  who  is 
judged  by  Weston,  in  his  work  on  Middleboro, 
Mass.,  to  be  a  son  of  the  immigrant  settler 
John  Barrows,  who  was  an  early  settler  of 
Middleboro,  and  before  the  breaking  out  of 
King   Philip's   war,    1675,   had   built   a   dam 


613 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


across  the  Nemasket  river,  some  fifty  rods  above 
the  present  Star  Mills,  and  erected  a  gristmill, 
in  which  he  worked.  On  the  morning  of  the 
attack  upon  the  town,  after  the  Indians  had 
been  shot,  he  saw  a  band  approacliing  the  mill, 
and  fled  to  the  fort  uninjured.  The  records  of 
the  First  Church  of  Middleboro  show  that  he 
had  acquired  a  share  in  the  Twenty-six  Men's 
Purchase  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  war. 
This  much  concerning  the  early  history  of  the 
Middleboro  Barrows  family,  but  in  the  absence 
of  earlier  vital  records  of  the  especial  branch 
of  the  Barrows  family  treated  below  the  con- 
nection between  the  earlier  and  later  family 
is  rendered  impracticable  to  make. 

Benjamin  Barrows  lived  in  Middleboro  and 
was  the  father  of  Nathaniel  Barrows,  who 
married  Hannah  Jones. 

Nathaniel  Barrows,  son  of  Benjamin,  was 
bom  in  Middleboro.  To  him  and  his  wife 
Hannah  Jones  were  born  children  as  follows: 
Lois,  born  May  28,  1767;  Eunice,  Oct.  13, 
1769  (died  Aug.  22,  1791);  Abisha,  Jan.  3, 
1772;  Nathaniel,  March  24,  1774;  Abigail, 
July  31,  1776;  Josiah,  July  25,  1778;  Asa, 
Feb.  25,  1781 ;  Freeman,  March  22,  1783 ;  Nel- 
son, Sept.  23,  1786;  and  Stillman,  Sept.  3, 
1789.  The  father  of  these  children  died  Nov. 
15,  1803,  in  Middleboro,  aged  sixty-two  years. 

Asa  Barrows,  son  of  Nathaniel,  was  born  in 
Middleboro  Feb.  25,  1781.  He  married  Sarah 
Cobb,  and  they  had  a  son,  William  Orville. 

William  Orville  Barrows,  son  of  Asa,  mar- 
ried in  Middleboro,  Feb.  18,  1826,  Amanda  N. 
Wood,  daughter  of  Noah  and  Nancy  (Norton) 
Wood,  and  their  children  were :  Levi  Marshall, 
born  May  13,  1828,  died  Oct.  19,  1828 ;  Nancy 
N.,  born  Dec.  26,  1829,  died  Dec.  4,  1866; 
Deborah  Shaw,  born  Feb.  26,  1832,  married 
June  1,  1850,  Josiah  B.  Thomas,  and  resides 
at  Peabody,  Mass. ;  Rozilla  Amanda,  born  June 
23,  1846,  married  Oct.  23,  1866,  Charles  N. 
Atwood,  and  died  Nov.  22,  1874. 

HATHAWAY.  (I)  Nicholas  Hathaway 
was  one  among  a  company  of  men  migrating 
from  some  of  the  older  towns  who  went  to  re- 
side within  the  borders  of  Taunton,  and  were 
designated  as  "first  settlers,"  a  term  which  has 
adhered  and  served  to  distinguish  them  from 
the  first  purchasers.  Mr.  Hathaway  had  so- 
journed for  a  time  at  Boston  and  purchased 
lands  in  that  vicinity  before  going  to  Taunton; 
land  was  granted  to  him  at  Mount  Woollystone 
in  February,  1639,  he  being  then  designated  of 
Monaticott.  It  seems  that  in  that  year,  or 
1640,  he  went  to  Taunton,  where  he  became  an 
extensive  land  owner.    He  had  a  son  John,  and 


probably  Joseph  and  Jacob  Hathaway,  of  Taun- 
ton, were  also  his  sons. 

(II)  John  Hathaway,  born  in  1629,  was  at 
Taunton  with  his  father  and  the  time  of  their 
going  there  is  determined  by  a  deposition  in 
which  John  makes  the  declaration  that  his 
knowledge  of  the  boundaries  and  occupation  of 
certain  portions  of  the  town  extended  as  far 
back  as  1639  and  1640.  His  name  appears  with 
those  who  in  1657  had  taken  the  oath  of  fidelity. 
In  1658  he  purchased  with  two  associates  four 
hundred  acres  of  "meadow  and  upland"  in  that 
part  of  Taunton  which  afterward  became  in- 
corporated as  the  town  of  Berkley.  In  1659, 
when  a  division  of  land  was  made,  John  Hath- 
away was  recorded  as  having  seven  heads  in 
his  family  and  received  a  share  in  proportion 
to  that  number.  He  was  made  a  freeman  in 
1670.  In  1671  he  purchased  the  eighteenth 
lot  of  the  Freetown  lands  and  thereupon  estab- 
lished his  eldest  son,  John  Hathaway,  Jr.  In 
1676  he  was  chosen  constable,  then  an  office 
of  great  responsibility  and  power.  He  was 
elected  deputy  in  1680  and  served  five  successive 
years;  and  in  1681  he  was  chosen  one  of  the 
selectmen  of  the  town.  He  was  again  constable 
in  1690,  when  engaged  in  reorganizing  the 
military  companies,  in  one  of  which  he  served 
as  ensign.  He  was  again  elected  deputy  to  the 
General  Court  at  Plymouth  in  1691.  In  1695 
a  company  of  well-known  citizens,  with  John 
Hathaway,  Sr.,  of  the  number,  set  up  a  bloom- 
ery  or  forge  on  Stony  brook,  which  was  after- 
ward known  as  the  Leonard  Iron  Works  of 
Norton.  He  was  a  representative  to  the  Massa- 
chusetts General  Court  in  1696  and  1697.  Mr. 
Hathaway  was  twice  married ;  the  Christian 
name  of  his  first  wife,  the  mother  of  his  chil- 
dren, was  Martha,  and  that  of  the  second  Ruth. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  Ruth  died  in  1705,  she 
in  September  of  that  year.  His  home  was  in 
that  part  of  Berkley  known  as  "The  Farms." 
Mr.  Hathaways  children  were :  John,  born  in 
1650;  Abraham,  born  in  1652;  Isaac,  born  in 
1655;  Ephraim,  born  in  1661;  Abigail,  and 
Rebecca.  Of  these,  Abraham  married  Rebecca 
Wilbore  and  settled  in  Berkley,  and  died  in 
1725.  Isaac  married  Mary  Pitts,  settled  in 
Berkley,  and  died  in  1722.  Ephraim  married 
and  settled  in  Dighton,  and  died  in  1718. 
Rebecca  married  Jared  Talbot,  theirs  being  the 
first  marriage  recorded  in  the  town  of  Dighton. 

(III)  John  Hathaway  (2),  born  in' 1650, 
married  Hannah,  daughter  of  James  Burt,  and 
settled  in  Freetown,  where  he  died  in  1730.  As 
stated,  his  father  had  installed  him  upon  the 
lot  of  the  Freetown  lands  he  purchased  in  1671. 
He  became  one  of  the  leading  citizens  there. 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


613 


(IV)  Isaac  Hathaway,  son  of  John  (2),  set- 
tled in  Berkley,  Mass.,  where  he  died.  He  is 
said  to  have  inherited  a  part  of  the  homestead 
of  his  father,  and  also  the  iron  forge  which 
was  established  by  his  father,  the  first  forge 
in  the  town ;  he  also  owned  a  mill,  and,  as  may 
be  judged,  was  a  man  of  snap  and  enterprise. 
On  Feb.  22,  1711,  he  married  Sarah  Makepeace, 
and  they  had  children  born  as  follows:  Sarah, 
Nov.  14,  1712;  Anna,  Dec.  7,  1714;  Eebecea, 
March  1,  1716;  Abijah,  March  21,  1719; 
Thomas,  March  23,  1721;  Nicholas,  April  1, 
1723;  and  Peleg.  Of  these,  Nicholas  inherited 
a  part  of  the  original  purchase — the  eighteenth 
lot  of  the  Freetown  lands — made  by  his  great- 
grandfather John  Hathaway.  On  Sept.  8,  1744, 
he  married  Rebecca  Merrick,  and  his  children 
were :  Stephen,  Elkanah,  Isaac,  Sarah,  Dighton 
and  Rebecca. 

(V)  Thomas  Hathaway,  son  of  Isaac  and 
Sarah  (Makepeace)  Hathaway,  bom  in  Free- 
town March  23,  1721,  married  (first)  Jerusha 
Hathaway.  Children:  Samuel  and  Thomas 
(baptized  Oct.  16,  1759).  By  his  second  wife, 
Abigail  Babbitt,  he  also  had  two  children, 
Abner  and  Abbey,  twins. 

(VI)  Samuel  Hathaway,  son  of  Thomas  and 
Jerusha  (Hathaway)  Hathaway^  baptized  Oct. 
16,  1759,  married  Mary  Evans,  of  Freetown. 
Children:  Samuel,  born  Aug.  31,  1781,  who 
married  Hannah  Cook;  Evans,  born  March  7, 
1783;  Hannah,  born  April  26,  1785;  Jerusha, 
born  March  17,  1787;  Thomas,  born  Jan.  18, 
1789;  Peleg,  born  Aug.  2,  1791;  Isaac,  born 
Aug.  21,  1794;  Rosamond,  born  Aug.  15,  1796 
(died  unmarried)  ;  Lucy,  who  married  Eben 
Delano,  of  Fairhaven;  Polly;  and  Sally,  who 
died  unmarried. 

(VII)  Samuel  Hathaway  (2),  son  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  (Evans)  Hathaway,  born 
Aug.  31,  1781,  married  Hannah  Cook,  who  was 
born  March  6,  1773,  and  they  had  children  as 
follows:  Samuel,  born  Oct.  31,  1807;  Evans, 
who  died  at  sea  June  10,  1842,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-five  years;  Hannah,  who  married  Alan- 
son  Sweet  and  lived  in  Cumberland,  R.  I.;  and 
Mary,  who  died  unmarried  Feb.  5,  1842,  aged 
thirty-two. 

(VIII)  Samuel  Hathaway  (3),  son  of 
Samuel  (2)  and  Hannah  (Cook)  Hathaway, 
was  born  Oct.  31,  1807,  in  Freetown,  Mass. 
His  father  dying,  the  mother  and  her  four 
children  removed  to  Fall  River  in  1817,  when 
Samuel  was  ten  years  of  age.  He  being  the 
eldest  child  circumstances  made  it  necessary 
for  him  to  assist  in  the  support  of  the  family, 
and  he  had  but  meager  school  advantages.  He 
began  employment  in  1824  at  Robeson's  Print 


Works  and  in  time  learned  the  art  of  color 
mixing  and  became  overseer  of  the  color  mixing 
department  of  the  works.  He  retained  this 
position  for  a  number  of  years,  until  he  became 
manager,  which  position  he  retained  until  the 
concern  changed  hands,  in  1848,  Andrew  Robe- 
son, the  principal  proprietor,  then  retiring 
from  business.  This  change  in  ownership  of 
the  business  made  one  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Hatha- 
way, who  then  engaged  in  farming  near  the 
then  village,  as  it  were,  of  Fall  River,  an  occu- 
pation he  practically  continued  in  through  the 
remainder  of  his  life. 

Mr.  Hathaway  developed  into  one  of  the 
foremost  citizens  of  his  day  in  Fall  River. 
Possessing  a  rugged,  independent  character,  he 
was  always  bold  in  his  denunciation  of  what 
he  considered  shams  and  frauds  and  earnest 
in  the  defense  of  what  he  thought  was  just  and 
true.  He  was  largely  interested  in  the  manu- 
facturing interests  of  Fall  River,  having  been 
a  prime  mover  in  organizing  the  Robeson  Mills, 
and  an  active  participant  in  the  founding  of 
the  Stafford  and  Davol  Mills.  He  was  a  director 
of  them  all  and  also  of  the  Watuppa  and  Granite 
Mills  from  their  organization  until  the  time 
of  his  death,  and  was  president  of  the  Robeson 
Mills.  He  was  also  a  director  of  the  Manufac- 
turers' Gas  Company.  He  was  active  in  the 
organization  of  the  Citizens'  Savings  Bank  of 
Fall  River  in  1851,  and  from  the  start  until 
his  death  was  a  member  of  the  bank's  board 
of  investment.  He  assisted  in  organizing,  ill 
1854,  the  Pocasset  Bank,  of  which  from  the 
start  on  through  his  life  he  was  a  director,  and 
its  president  during  the  last  decade  or  more  of 
his  life.  As  a  banker  he  was  noted  for  his 
sound  judgment,  strict  integrity  and  faithful 
performance  of  all  the  trusts  reposed  in  him. 
Mr.  Hathaway  had  little  or  no  taste  for 
politics  and  political  preferment,  yet  he  ever 
had  a  great  interest  in  the  public  welfare  and 
performed  his  duty  in  citizenship  in  the  way  of 
earnest  support  of  correct  principles  and  the 
putting  of  the  most  suitable  men  into  oflSce. 
He  was  for  one  year  a  member  of  the  board 
of  aldermen,  but  declined  a  reelection  at  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  office.  He  was  asked 
a  number  of  times  to  become  a  candidate  for 
the  office  of  mayor,  but  as  often  declined.  Per- 
haps no  one  in  Fall  River  of  his  day  enjoyed 
the  confidence  of  the  people  of  the  city  to  a 
greater  extent  than  Mr.  Hathaway.  His  judg- 
ment was  valued  by  his  associates  in  the  many 
official  relations  he  sustained.  He  was  an 
earnest  friend  of  temperance  and  active  in 
every  effort  for  the  moral  welfare  of  the  city. 
He  was  a  friend  to  the  widow  and  the  orphan. 


614 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


His  life  was  well  lived  and  the  memory  of  its 
uprightness  and  of  his  good  deeds  has  lived 
after  him. 

On  March  3,  1832,  Mr.  Hathaway  was  mar- 
ried to  Abby,  born  Aug.  10,  1811,  in  Fall  Eiver, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Rhoda  (Borden)  War- 
ren. Ten  children  blessed  the  marriage,  those 
who  survived  the  father  being:  Abbie  (born 
Oct.  7,  1833,  died  Oct.  20,  1895),  wife  of 
Eleazer  Waldron,  of  Fall  Eiver;  Edward  E. 
(born  Oct.  14,  1836),  who  died  May  9,  1911; 
Marion  A.  (born  May  31,  1841),  wife  of  Henry 
Frye,  of  Providence,  E.  I.;  Samuel  W.  (born 
Aug.  3,  1843) ;  and  Clarence  M.  (born  April 
38,  1855). 

Mr.  Hathaway  died  at  his  home  in  Fall 
Biver,  Mass.,  April  4,  1873,  when  in  the  sixty- 
sixth  year  of  his  age;  Mrs.  Hathaway  died 
Feb.  10,  1869. 

(IX)  Edwakd  E.  Hathaway,  son  of  Samuel 
and  Abby  (Warren)  Hathaway,  was  born  in 
Fall  Eiver  Oct.  14,  1836,  and  after  attending 
the  public  schools  there  went  to  Middleboro 
Academy  to  finish  his  education.  His  father 
had  been  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  Citizens' 
Savings  Bank  when  it  was  organized  in  1851 
as  the  Savings  Bank  in  Tiverton,  and  on  June 
12,  1854,  Edward  E.  Hathaway  was  elected 
assistant  treasurer  of  the  institution.  The 
Pocasset  Bank  of  Tiverton  (later  the  Pocasset 
National  Bank  of  Fall  Eiver)  began  operations 
the  following  month,  in  the  same  office,  and 
he  also  became  a  clerk  of  that.  He  continued 
in  the  banking  business  throughout  his  life. 
In  1862  William  H.  Brackett,  the  first  treasurer 
of  the  Savings  Bank  and  the  first  cashier  of 
the  Pocasset  Bank,  resigned  to  become  cashier 
of  the  Washington  Bank  of  Boston,  and  Mr. 
Hathaway  succeeded  him  in  both  positions,  to 
which  he  was  elected  Dec.  9th  of  that  year.  He 
continued  as  cashier  of  the  Pocasset  Bank  until 
1903,  when  it  united  with  the  Massasoit  Na- 
tional and  the  National  Union  Banks  to  form 
the  present  Massasoit  Pocasset  National  Bank, 
of  which  he  became  vice  president  and  director. 
He  was  one  of  the  committee  which  had 
cliarge  of  the  erection  of  its  new  building.  He 
continued  as  treasurer  of  the  Savings  Bank 
until  his  death,  having  held  that  position  al- 
most forty  years.  On  April  15,  1873,  he  suc- 
ceeded his  father  as  director  of  the  Pocasset 
National  Bank,  and  became  a  trustee  of  the 
Savings  Bank  in  1900. 

.  When  Mr.  Hathaway  first  became  associated 
with  the  Savings  Bank  it  was  but  a  small  insti- 
tution, located  in  the  brick  building  still  stand- 
ing on  the  northeast  corner  of  South  Main  and 
Eodman  streets,  then  in  Ehode  Island,  the  Fall 


Eiver  Union  Bank  building.  The  change  in 
the  boundary  line  between  Massachusetts  and 
Ehode  Island,  in  March,  1862,  brought  the  bank 
within  Massachusetts  territory,  and  it  assumed 
its  present  title  of  Citizens'  Savings  Bank  and 
removed  to  an  office  on  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  first  floor  of  the  City  Hall,  where  it  re- 
mained until  1873,  when,  with  the  Pocasset 
Bank,  with  which  it  had  been  associated  from 
the  time  the  latter  was  formed,  it  occupied  the 
present  quarters  at  the  corner  of  Main  and 
Bedford  streets,  the  Savings  Bank  purchasing 
same  from  the  Pocasset  when  the  latter  went 
out  of  business.  Under  Mr.  Hathaway's 
direction  the  Citizens'  Bank  grew  until  it  now 
has  over  eight  thousand  depositors,  and  deposits 
of  more  than  five  million  dollars. 

In  addition  to  his  long  connection  with  local 
banking  interests  Mr.  Hathaway  was  for  many 
years  identified  with  the  cotton  manufacturing 
industry  in  Fall  Eiver,  was  one  of  the  first  board  • 
of  directors  of  the  Osborn  Mills,  of  which  he 
continued  to  be  a  director  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  and  was  president  of  three  corpora- 
tions, the  Chace  Mills  (from  1886),  the  Granite 
Mills  (from  1904)  and  the  Stafford  Mills  (for 
a  shorter  period). 

In  all  his  relations  Mr.  Hathaway  displayed 
marked  faithfulness  to  duty  and  devotion  to 
the  interests  in  his  charge.  His  only  public 
office  was  that  of  sinking  fund  commissioner, 
which  he  held  continuously  from  1879  until  his 
death.  Though  in  poor  health  for  some  years, 
and  perceptibly  worse  during  his  last  few 
months,  he  attended  to  his  business  affairs  to 
the  very  end,  dying  May  9,  1911,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-four  years.  "He  was  of  a  reserved  and 
retiring  nature,  though  always  courteous  with 
all  who  came  in  contact  with  him,  always  well 
liked  by  all  who  were  privileged  to  know  him 
at  all  well.  His  associates  in  business  held  him 
in  very  high  regard,  and  so  did  all  who  worked 
under  him.  In  his  position  as  one  of  its  lead- 
ing bankers  he  had  much  to  do  with  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  city." 

On  March  16,  1869,  Mr.  Hathaway  married 
Ella  B.  Coggeshall,  daughter  of  Capt.  Frederick 
B.  Coggeshall,  and  they  had  one  child,  Mary, 
born  in  1872,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twelve 
years.  Mrs.  Hathaway  died  Jan.  2,  1903.  Mr. 
Hathaway  was  a  member  of  no  church  or  so- 
ciety, but  attended  the  Central  Congregational 
Church. 

(IX)  Samuel  West  Hathaway,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Abby  (Warren)  Hathaway,  was 
born  in  Fall  Eiver,  Mass.,  Aug.  3,  1843.  He 
received  his  educational  training  in  the  public 
schools  of  Fall  Eiver,  and  for  three  years  in 


SOUTHEASTEKN  MASSACHUSETTS 


615 


early  life  followed  the  trade  of  machinist. 
Working  first  at  the  Watuppa  Mill  as  a 
mechanic,  he  finally  became  superintendent,  and 
in  1871  became  the  superintendent  of  the 
Stafford  Mill,  which  position  he  held  for  thirty- 
two  years,  retiring  in  1903.  He  is  the  oldest 
director  of  the  Stafford  Mill  and  is  a  member 
of  the  board  of  investment  of  the  Citizens'  Sav- 
ings Bank  of  Fall  Eiver.  Mr.  Hathaway  mar- 
ried Sept.  1,  1864,  Sarah  D.  Eddy,  daughter 
of  Jervis  W.  Eddy,  of  Somerset,  and  to  them 
were  born  four  children,  viz. :  Samuel  E., 
Nov.  3, 1865,  is  mentioned  below ;  Abby  Warren, 
March  11,  1873,  married  David  T.  Wilcox  and 
had  a  son,  Samuel  Edward  H. ;  Danforth  Hor- 
ton,  March  17,  1881,  married  Anna  Osborn 
Swift,  and  has  Samuel  W.  and  Orson  (he  is 
treasurer  of  the  Pilgrim  Mill  of  Fall  River, 
and  of  the  Barrowsville  Bleachery) ;  and  Joseph 
H.,  July  2,  1884,  treasurer  of  Wilcox  &  Hatha- 
way, cloth  brokers  in  Fall  Eiver. 

(X)  Samdel  E.  Hathaway,  late  superin- 
tendent of  the  Fall  Biver  Iron  Works  Company, 
was  born  Nov.  3, 1865,  son  of  Samuel  W.  Hath- 
away. He  was  educated  in  the  public  and  high 
schools  of  Fall  Eiver,  and  then  started  out  at 
the  age  of  nineteen,  to  learn  practical  manu- 
facturing at  the  Stafford  Mill,  where  he  finally 
became  an  overseer  in  the  card  room.  In  July, 
1889,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  he  was 
selected  bv  M.  C.  D.  Borden  for  superintendent 
of  the  Iron  Works  Mills,  and  he  superin- 
tended the  construction  of  No.  1  Mill  and  all 
of  those  following,  at  the  same  time  buying 
all  the  cotton  and  supplies  for  the  entire  plant 
and  acting  as  the  superintendent  of  the  several 
mills.  As  a  manufacturer  he  was  very  success- 
ful, his  energy  and  untiring  labor  contributing 
largely  to  the  success  of  the  Iron  Works  Com- 
pany. Mr.  Hathaway  was  a  thirty-second-de- 
gree Mason,  a  past  master  of  King  Philip 
Lodge,  and  a  past  commander  of  Godfrey  de 
Bouillon  Commandery.  A  fine  musician,  he 
weekly  entertained  a  gathering  of  some  of  his 
musical  friends  at  his  home,  and  took  great  en- 
joyment in  it. 

On  Feb.  15,  1887,  Mr.  Hathaway  married 
Maud  Clifton,  daughter  of  Theodore  W. 
Borden,  and  granddaughter  of  Cook  Borden. 
Their  children  were :  Alice  Borden,  born  Sept. 
5,  1893,  who  graduated  from  the  Fall  River 
High  School  in  1910  and  then  attended  Lasell 
Seminary;  and  Theodore  Borden,  born  Aug. 
22,  1896. 

Mr.  Hathaway  had  not  been  in  good  health 
for  a  number  of  years  before  his  death,  and 
had  taken  several  trips  abroad  in  the  hope  of 
regaining  his  strength,  but  in  spite  of  all  that 


medical  skill  could  do  for  him  he  closed  his  life 
work  on  the  afternoon  of  Nov.  16,  1910.  On 
the  day  of  the  funeral  the  entire  plant  of  the 
Iron  Works  Company  was  closed  as  a  tribute 
of  respect. 

(IX)  Clarence  M.  Hathaway,  son  of 
Samuel,  born  April  28,  1855,  in  Tiverton  (now 
a  part  of  Fall  Eiver),  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Fall  River,  graduating  from 
the  high  school  in  1875.  His  first  business 
employment  was  as  a  clerk  in  the  cotton  mill 
now  known  as  the  Fall  River  Print  Works. 
From  there  he  changed  to  the  Robeson  Mills, 
as  bookkeeper  under  Linden  Cook,  the  treasurer 
of  the  works  at  that  time,  and  so  well  ,did  he 
apply  and  adapt  himself  to  the  business  that 
upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Cook  he  succeeded  him 
in  the  treasurership.  He  was  retained  in  that 
position  until  the  reorganization  of  the  Eobeson 
Mills,  in  1897,  when,  upon  the  organization  of 
the  selling  committee  for  the  mills,  he  became 
bookkeeper.  When  that  arrangement  was  aban- 
doned, in  1901,  Mr.  Hathaway  became  the  sec- 
retary of  the  Cotton  Manufacturers'  Association, 
a  position  he  still  fills.  He  has  given  all  his 
time  and  energy  to  business,  taking  no  part  at 
any  time  in  public  matters.  His  standing 
among  his  business  associates,  for  both  ability 
and  unquestionable  uprightness  of  character,  is 
of  the  highest. 

On  Nov.  12,  1889,  Mr.  Hathaway  married 
Alice  R.  Taber,  daughter  of  Capt.  Jacob  and 
Hannah  (Blackmer)  Taber,  of  New  Bedford. 
They  have  no  children.  Mr.  Hathaway  is  a 
member  of  the  Unitarian  Church  at  Fall  River. 

Mr.  Hathaways  maternal  lineage,  in  the 
Warren  line,  is  traced  back  in  America  to 
bichard  Warren,  of  the  "Mayflower,"  1620, 
from  whom  he  is  a  descendant  in  the  ninth 
generation.  In  the  Old  World,  however,  the 
line  is  traced  back  to  the  ninth  century.  We 
have  the  following  account  of  this  family: 

In  the  ninth  or  tenth  century  a  Danish 
knight  and  wife  had  children:  Gunnora,  who 
married  Richard  (I),  Duke  of  Normandy; 
Herfastes,  who  married  Walter  de  H.  Martine ; 
and  four  other  daughters.  About  the  year  900 
King  Charles  of  France,  called  the  "Simple," 
conferred  on  Rollo  (or  Rolf)  the  Duchy  after- 
ward called  Normandy.  Rollo  (or  Rolf)  was 
a  Dane  and  was  one  of  the  celebrated  Normans 
(a  Northman)  in  the  invasion  of  that  country 
by  the  Danish  so-called  "sea  robbers,"  or  sea 
kings.  Rollo  (or  Rolf)  while  living  in  and 
holding  that  country  married  Poppa,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Bevangarius,  Count  of  Bayeaux.  Rollo 
(or  Rolf)  died  in  931.  Rollo  (first  Duke  of 
Normandy)  and  Poppa  had  children :  William, 


616 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


second  Duke  of  Normandy,  called  Longsword; 
and  Robert,  fifth  Count  of  Corbiel. 

William,  second  Duke  of  Normandy,  married 
Adela,  daughter  of  Hubert,  Count  of  Senlis. 
William  was  slain  in  948.  His  wife  Adela  died 
in  960.  They  had  children:  Richard  (I), 
called  the  "Fearless,"  and  Walter  de  H.  Martine. 
Richard  the  Fearless  married  Gunnora,  daugh- 
ter of  a  Danish  knight,  as  previously  recorded, 
and  had  children:  Richard  (II),  surnamed 
the  "Good,"  and  Emma,  who  married  Ethelred 
(II),  of  England.  Richard  (II)  was  father 
of  Richard  (III)  and  Robert  the  "Magnificent." 
Robert  was  the  father  of  William  the  Conqueror, 
who  was  born  out  of  wedlock,  his  mother  being 
Aletta  (or  Herlava),  the  daughter  of  a  tanner. 

Walter  de  H.  Martine,  second  son  of  Wil- 
liam (second  Duke  of  Normandy),  married 
Herfastes,  daughter  of  a  Danish  knight,  and 
their  son  was  William  de  Warrenne,  first  Earl 
of  Warrenne  in  Normandy.  The  latter  married 
a  daughter  of  Ralph  de  Forta,  and  their  son, 
William  de  Warrenne,  was  by  inheritance  sec- 
ond Earl  of  Warrenne  in  Normandy,  but  by 
act  of  William  the  Conqueror  (whose  daughter 
Gundreda  he  married)  was  created  first  Earl 
of  Warren  and  Surrey  in  England.  The  first 
Warren  known  on  English  soil  was  William, 
first  Earl  of  Warren  and  Surrey,  son  of  Wil- 
liam de  Warrenne,  first  Earl  of  Warrenne  in 
Normandy.  He  accompanied  William  the 
Conqueror  to  England,  took  an  important  part 
in  the  battle  of  Hastings,  fought  Oct.  14,  1066, 
and  was  so  highly  esteemed  by  the  Conqueror 
that  the  latter  gave  him  lands  in  almost  every 
county  in  England  and  also  conferred  on  him 
the  Earldom  of  Surrey.  Settling  in  England, 
he  selected  for  his  residence  the  village  of 
Lewes,  in  the  County  of  Sussex.  (He  is  No.  13 
in  the  genealogy.) 

He  married  Gundreda,  daughter  of  William 
the  Conqueror,  and  their  children  were  William 
(second  Earl  of  Warren  and  Surrey)  and  four 
more  children. 

William,  second  Earl  of  Warren  and  Surrey, 
was  amono  those  who  took  part  with  Robert, 
Duke  of  Normand^',  and  when  the  latter  landed 
at  Portsmouth  in  the  autumn  of  1101  William 
■joined  his  standard.  This  William  married 
Isabel,  third  daughter  of  Hugh  the  Great,  who 
was  Earl  of  Vernandoise. 

William,  third  Earl  of  Warren  and  Surrey, 
was  slain  in  the  second  crusade. 

Reginald  de  Warren  was  heir  to  William, 
third  Earl  of  Warren  and  Surrey.  He  married 
Adela,  daughter  of  Sir  Roger  de  Mowbray, 
Knight,  the  renowned  leader  in  the  second 
crusade.     Reginald  de  Warren  and  Adela,  his 


wife,  had  a  son  William  de  Warren,  who  mar- 
ried Isabel,  daughter  of  Sir  William  de  Hayden, 
Knight.  Their  son.  Sir  John  Warren,  married 
Alice,  daughter  of  Roger  de  Townsend,  Esq. 
Sir  John  Warren  and  wife  Alice  had  a  son  John. 
This  Sir  John  Warren  married  Joan,  daughter 
of  Sir  Hugh  de  Port,  Knight.  Sir  John  War- 
ren and  wife  Joan  had  a  son  Edward.^  Sir 
Edward  Warren  married  Maud,  a  daughter  of 
Richard  de  Skeyton,  and  their  son.  Sir  Edward 
Warren,  married  Cicely,  daughter  of  Nicholas 
de  Eaton,  Knight.  Sir  Edward  Warren  and 
his  wife  Cicely  had  a  son  John.  Sir  John 
Warren  married  Agnes,  daughter  of  Sir  Richard 
de  Wymington,  Knight,  and  their  son.  Sir 
Lawrence  Warren,  Knight,  married  Margery, 
a  daughter  of  Hugh  Bulkley,  Esq.,  of  Ware 
in  Shropsliire.  Sir  Lawrence  Warren  and 
Margery,  his  wife,  had  a  son  John,  who  married 
Isabel,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Stanley,  Knight. 
John  Warren  and  Isabel,  his  wife,  had  Sir 
Lawrence  Warren,  who  married  Isabel,  daugh- 
ter of  Sir  Robert  Leigh,  Knight.  Sir  Lawrence 
Warren  and  Isabel,  his  wife,  had  a  son  William, 
seated  at  Countan,  in  Nottinghamshire,  he 
married  Anne;  died  May  1,  1496.  William 
Warren  and  wife  Anne  had  John,  who  married 
Elizabeth;  he  died  in  1525.  John  Warren 
and  his  wife  Elizabeth  had  John  of  Headbury, 
in  the  parish  of  Ashburton,  in  Devonshire,  Eng- 
land. John  of  Headbury  and  his  wife  had 
Christopher,  who  married  and  had  a  son  Wil- 
liam, who  married  Anne,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Mable,  of  Calstock,  in  Cornwall.  William 
Warren  and  Anne,  his  wife,  had  a  son  Christo- 
pher, who  married  Alice,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Webb,  of  Sidnam  in  Devonshire.  Christopher 
Warren  and  Alice,  his  wife,  had  Rev.  Robert, 
known  as  the  "parson  of  Rome,"  John,  Thomas 
(no  information  in  relation  to  him),  Richard, 
Christopher  (who  married  Sarah  Opie,  in  Ply- 
mouth, England)  and  William  (merchant  in 
London,  England,  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
William  Culling  or  Cutting).  Of  these,  John 
(according  to  Thomas  C.  Armory,  one  of  his 
descendants)  was  born  about  1581,  died  1667; 
he  came  with  Sir  Richard  Saltonstall  in  Win- 
throp's  fleet  in  1630.  He  settled  at  Watertown, 
Mass.,  and  was  the  ancestor  of  General  Warren, 
and  also  ancestor  of  the  late  Dr.  John  C.  War- 
ren, of  Boston,  who  spent  considerable  time 
and  a  large  amount  of  money. in  England  and 
France  getting  the  records  and  tracing  the 
lineage  of  the  Warren  family  from  the  eighth 
and  ninth  centuries  to  the  present. 

The  American  line  which  we  are  tracing  is 
given  in  detail  as  follows : 

(I)   Richard  Warren,  noted  above  as  son  of 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


617 


Christopher  and  Alice,  was  a  merchant,  of 
Greenwich,  in  the  County  of  Kent,  England, 
and  was  one  of  the  Pilgrims  who  came  in  the 
"Mayiiower,"  1620.  His  wife  and  children 
came  subsequently,  he  having  left  tliem  in  Eng- 
land. He  was  the  ancestor  of  Gen.  Joseph 
Warren,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  and  was  also  the  ancestor  of  the  branch 
of  the  Hathaway  family  outlined  in  the  preced- 
ing, through  Salome  Cushman.  Richard 
Warren  married  Elizabeth  (Juatt)  Marsh, 
widow,  and  she  came  to  Plymouth  with  her 
children  on  the  "Little  James"  or  "Ann"  in 
1623.  She  died  in  Plymouth  in  1673,  aged 
ninety  years;  he  died  in  Plymouth  in  1628. 
They  had  children:  Elizabeth,  who  married 
Sergt.  Richard  Church;  Mary;  Ann;  Sarah, 
and  Abigail — all  born  in  England;  and  two 
sons  born  in  America,  Nathaniel  ^nd  Joseph. 

Sergt.  Richard  Church,  husband  of  Elizabeth 
Warren,  was  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  Ply- 
mouth Colony  forces  sent  to  fight  the  Pequot 
Indians  in  1637  and  held  the  office  of  sergeant. 
He  was  by  trade  a  carpenter.  Their  son,  Ben- 
jamin Church,  born  in  1639,  was  the  celebrated 
warrior  and  Indian  fighter  who  destroyed  King 
Philip  and  captured  his  successor,  the  chief 
Annawann.  A  great-grandson  of  Sergt.  Richard 
Church  was  born  at  Little  Compton  and 
christened  Thomas.  This  Thomas  Church  was 
appointed  colonel  of  one  of  the  Patriot  reg- 
iments of  Rhode  Island  in  1775  and  was  a 
member  of  the  State  Senate. 

(II)  Nathaniel  Warren,  son  of  Richard,  had 
twelve  children,  born  as  follows :  Richard, 
1646;  Jabez,  1647;  Sarah,  1649;  Hope,  1651; 
Jane,  1652;  Elizabeth,  1654;  Alice,  1656; 
Mercy,  1658;  Mary,  1660;  Nathaniel,  1661; 
John,  1663;  James,  1665. 

(III)  Richard  Warren  (2),  son  of  Nathaniel, 
went  to  Middleboro  and  married  Sarah.  He 
died  in  1698,  aged  about  forty-eight  years. 

(IV)  Samuel  Warren,  son  of  Richard  (2), 
was  born  March  7,  1683.  He  was  by  trade  a 
tanner.  He  married  Elizabeth  Bellington  Jan. 
26,  1703,  and  they  had  eleven  children,  born  as 
follows:  Priscilla,  1704;  Jabes,  1705;  Samuel, 
1707;  Cornelius,  1709;  James,  1710;  Nathan, 
1712;  Joseph,  1714;  Joanna,  1717;  Benjamin, 
1720 ;  Sarah,  1721 ;  and  Josiah,  1724. 

(V)  James  Warren  was  a  shoemaker.  He 
died  in  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  in  what  is  now  Fall 
River,  Mass.,  about  1790,  in  his  eightieth  year. 
On  Sept.  4,  1735,  he  married  Mary  Perry,  of 
Freetown,  and  their  children  were:  Samuel, 
born  in  1737;  Mary,  1739;  Cornelius,  1741; 
Gamaliel,  1744;  James,  1745. 

(VI)  Gamaliel  Warren,  son  of  James,  mar- 


ried Ruth  Jenckes  about  1765,  and  died  March 
10,  1807,  aged  sixty-three  years;  she  died  Aug. 
26,  1835,  aged  eighty-nine  years.  They  had 
children  as  follows :  Perry,  1767 ;  Henry,  1769  ; 
Abraham,  1772;  Benjamin,  1775;  Josepli, 
1776;  Elnathan,  1778;  Samuel,  1781;  Russell, 
1783 ;  Ruth,  1785 ;  Gamaliel,  1787 ;  and  Abigail, 
1791.  Gamaliel  changed  his  name  to  Minton. 
(VII)  Joseph  Warren,  son  of  Gamaliel,  was 
a  remarkable  carver  of  wood.  He  married 
Rhoda  Borden,  and  they  had  six  children: 
Marshall,  born  April  8,  1800;  Almira,  born 
Jan.  1,  1805 ;  Minerva,  who  married  Joseph  S. 
Cook;  Admiral,  born  Aug.  24,  1813;  Hiram; 
and  Abby,  born  Aug.  10,  1811,  who  married 
Samuel  Hathaway. 

CHARLES  EVERETT  MOORE,  general 
superintendent  of  the  George  E.  Keith  Com- 
pany's extensive  shoe  manufacturing  plants,  is 
one  of  Brockton's  best  known  makers  of  shoes, 
one  who  has  grown  up  with  the  business  and 
whose  force  and  energy,  combined  with  natural 
executive  ability,  have  forced  him  to  the  front 
rank  in  the  shoe  indiistry.  He  went  to  work 
at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  sweeping  floors  in 
a  shoe  factory,  and  has  risen  step  by  step  until 
to-day  (1911),  at  the  age  of  but  forty-five 
years,  he  is  in  charge  of  one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive shoe  manufacturing  concerns  in  the  world. 
Mr.  Moore  was  born  Nov.  10,  1866,  in  Milford, 
Mass.,  son  of  John  Moore,  Jr.,  and  Sarah 
Prince    (Dudley)    Moore. 

John  Moore,  Sr.,  his  grandfather,  was  a  na- 
tive of  England.  A  musician  by  profession, 
after  coming  to  America  he  was  for  a  number 
of  years  engaged  in  teaching  music.  Although 
his  favorite  instrument  was  the  clarinet,  Mr. 
Moore  was  proficient  in  the  playing  of  many 
instruments.  He  finally  settled  in  Sutton, 
Mass.,  and  was  leader  and  instructor  of  the 
Sutton  band  for  a  number  of  years,  and  under 
his  guidance  many  of  the  members  of  the  band 
became  adepts.  Mr.  Moore  died  Jan.  31,  1876, 
in  Sutton,  Mass.,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  He 
married  Anna  Smith,  who  died  in  Milford, 
Mass.,  the  mother  of  the  following  children: 
Sarah,  who  died  unmarried;  John,  Jr.,  men- 
tioned below;  William,  a  shoemaker  by  trade; 
Katherine,  who  married  Edward  Schofield,  and 
died  in  Boston;  Nellie,  who  died  aged  nineteen 
years;  and  Jennie  H.,  who  married  George  H. 
Harris  (they  reside  in  Boston). 

John  Moore,  Jr.,  father  of  Charles  Everett, 
was  bom  in  Troy,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  21,  1831.  He 
early  in  life  took  up  his  residence  in  Milford, 
Mass.,  and  for  a  number  of  years  followed  the 
trade  of  shoemaking,  and  later  was  engaged  as 


618 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


a  traveling  salesman  in  the  interests  of  the 
Whittemore  pegging  machine,  which  in  those 
days  was  extensively  used  in  the  making  of 
shoes.  Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war 
in  1861  Mr.  Moore  enlisted  in  Company  F,  36th 
Mass.  V.  I.,  and  served  his  country  until  the 
close  of  the  war,  taking  part  in  many  of  the 
battles  of  that  memorable  conflict.  Returning 
from  the  war  Mr.  Moore  continued  his  resi- 
dence at  Milford  until  about  1868,  when  he 
removed  with  his  family  to  Holbrook,  Mass., 
where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent, 
and  where  he  passed  away  Feb.  13,  1905.  Mr. 
Moore  was  a  kind  and  devoted  husband  and 
father,  and  although  in  ill  health  for  several 
years  prior  to  liis  death  retained  his  cheerful 
and  kindly  manner.  He  was  a  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Congregational  Church  at  Holbrook, 
and  was  an  active  member  of  Capt.  Horace 
Niles  Post,  No.  110,  G.  A.  E.,  of  Randolph, 
Mass.,  in  which  he  held  various  offices.  On 
Jan.  15,  1852,  Mr.  Moore  married  Sarah  Prince 
Dudley,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Juliette  (Eob- 
inson)  Dudley,  of  Sutton,  Mass.,  who  survives 
her  husband,  and  makes  her  home  with  her  son, 
Charles  E.  Moore.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moore 
were  born  thirteen  children,  of  whom  four  did 
not  outlive  infancy.  The  others  were :  Edward 
L.,  a  shoe  salesman,  married  Alice  Lee,  of  Bur- 
lington, Vt.,  where  they  reside;  Frederick  H., 
a  shoe  worker  and  the  inventor  and  patentee 
among  other  articles  of  Moore's  Patent  Blind 
Opener  and  Shutter,  died  in  Holbrook  in 
March,  1886,  aged  thirty-three  years,  unmar- 
ried; Mary  Lillian  is  the  wife  of  Deacon  Brad- 
ford H.  Nash,  and  they  reside  in  Brockton; 
William  H.,  a  shoe  worker,  died  in  Holbrook 
in  November,  1885  (he  married  Hattie  Flan- 
ders, of  Lawrence,  Mass.) ;  George  E.  died  in 
infancy;  Frank  A.  died  in  infancy,  as  did  also 
George  (2) ;  Charles  Everett  is  mentioned  be- 
low; Nettie  Frances  is  unmarried  and  lives 
with  her  brother  Charles  E. 

Charles  Everett  Moore  was  born  in  the  old 
shoe  town  of  Milford,  Mass.,  Nov.  10,  1866. 
^Vhen  he  was  but  two  years  of  age  his  parents 
moved  to  Holbrook,  and  in  the  latter  town  he 
received  his  schooling,  attending  first  the  dis- 
trict schools  and  then  the  high  school,  leaving 
the  latter  when  about  thirteen  years  of  age.  At 
the  age  of  barely  fourteen  years  he  entered 
Thomas  White  &  Co.'s  shoe  factory  under 
Eugene  Snell,  who  was  boss  of  the  stitching- 
room,  his  first  duty  being  the  sweeping  of  the 
floors.  He  did  not  sweep  floors  very  long,  how- 
ever, being  soon  put  to  rimning  a  Merrick  pow- 
er eyeleting  machine.  From  that  he  entered  the 
stitching-room,  where  for  a  time  he  was  em- 


ployed stitching  straps  on  the  old  Don  Pedro 
shoes,  after  which  he  took  up  the  various 
branches  of  the  work  in  the  stitching-room. 
Some  time  later,  when  Mr.  Snell  gave  up  his 
place,  Mr.  Moore  was  made  foreman  of  this  de- 
partment, retaining  that  position  until  the  firm 
went  out  of  business  on  the  death  of  Mr.  White. 
During  his  thirteen  years'  experience  with  this 
concern  Mr.  Moore  had  applied  himself  to  every 
detail  of  the  work  of  his  department,  and  had 
acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  business. 
He  next  became  foreman  of  the  stitching-room 
of  the  S.  H.  Howe  Shoe  Company,  at  Marlboro, 
Mass.,  in  which  capacity  he  remained  for  about 
a  year,  when  on  May  26,  1897,  he  accepted  the 
foremanship  of  the  stitching-room  of  the 
George  E.  Keith  Company's  factory  at  Cam- 
pello,  which  at  that  time  consisted  of  No.  1 
factory,  he  having  charge  of  about  160  hands. 
He  remained  in  that  capacity  for  about  seven 
years,  when  he  was  made  superintendent  of  the 
plant,  where  for  the  next  two  years  he  had 
under  his  supervision  250  hands.  During  his 
service  with  the  Keith  Company  Mr.  Moore  has 
seen  the  business  grow  from  a  one-factory  plant 
to  a  large  industry  with  seven  factories  at  Cam- 
pello,  one  at  Middleboro,  one  at  North  Adams 
and  one  in  East  Weymouth,  the  latter  being 
used  for  the  manufacture  of  ladies'  shoes.  On 
Jan.  1,  1906,  Mr.  Moore  was  made  general 
superintendent  of  the  whole  system,  now  having 
supervision  of  over  4,80D  hands,  in  which  he 
is  assisted  by  seven  superintendents  and  sixty- 
three  foremen. 

Although  exacting  and  insistent  in  matters  of 
detail,  Mr.  Moore  is  popular  with  his  subordi- 
nates. He  is  an  active  and  prominent  member 
of  the  Brockton  Association  of  Superintendents 
and  Foremen,  which  organization  he  served  as 
president  for  a  period  of  three  years.  He  was 
one  of  fifteen  judges  at  the  World's  Fair,  St. 
Louis,  1904,  serving  in  the  shoe  department, 
and  there  received  a  medal  and  diploma,  the 
latter  being  in  recognition  of  his  membership 
on  the  international  board  of  experts.  Frater- 
nally he  is  a  member  of  Norfolk  Lodge,  A.  F. 
&  A.  ■  M.,  of  Eandolph ;  Satucket  Chapter,  E. 
A.  M. ;  Brockton  Council,  E.  &  S.  M. ;  and  Bay 
State  Commandery,  K.  T.,  of  Brockton.  He 
is  also  past  chancellor  commander  of  Norfolk 
Lodge,  No.  119,  K.  of  P.,  of  Holbrook.  He 
belongs  to  the  Commercial  and  Country  Clubs 
of  Brockton,  and  to  the  New  England  Order 
of  Protection. 

In  political  faith  Mr.  Moore  is  a  stalwart 
advocate  of  the  principles  of  the  Eepublican 
party,  and  while  a  resident  of  Holbrook  he  was 
active  in  the  municipal  life  of  the  town,  serving 


,'   1-  O  B  1_  JC- 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


619 


as  a  member  of  the  board  of  selectmen  for  a 
period  of  three  years,  the  last  year  of  which 
he  was  chairman  of  the  board.  He  was  also  a 
director  of  the  Holbrook  Cooperative  Bank  for 
several  years.  He  has  always  had  a  high  re- 
gard for  the  town  of  Holbrook,  where  he  spent 
his  boyhood  days,  and  the  town  has  the  use 
of  a  tract  of  land  he  owns,  as  a  park.  Since 
coming  to  Brockton  he  has  taken  an  active  in- 
terest in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  giving  freely  of  his 
time  and  money  to  advance  its  interests.  He 
and  his  family  belong  to  the  South  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  Campello. 

On  Nov.  14,  1888,  Mr.  Moore  married  Eva 
Florence  Peckham,  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Ellen  Frances  (Thurston)  Peckham,  of  Hol- 
brook, Mass.,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Ha- 
zel Gertrude,  born  in  Holbrook  Nov.  24,  1893. 
Mr.  Moore's  success  in  life  has  been  due  to 
his  own  energy,  perseverance  and  ability,  and 
his  rise  has  shown  what  a  boy  can  do  if  he  has 
the  determination  to  win.  Recently  in  an  ad- 
dress before  the  Boston  Association  of  Superin- 
tendents and  Foremen  he  made  the  claim  that 
there  is  no  reason  to-day  why  a  boy  cannot  get 
ahead  in  a  shoe  factory  as  well  as  the  boys  of 
years  ago. 

READ  (New  Bedford  family).  The  Read 
family  of  New  Bedford,  whose  head  was  the 
late  Joseph  R.  Read,  who  was  for  many  years 
engaged  in  business  here  and  one  of  the  city's 
substantial  men,  successful  in  business  and  use- 
ful in  citizenship,  comes  of  an  early  family  of 
Ancient  Rehoboth,  this  Commonwealth,  and  Mr. 
Read  himself  married  into  one  of  the  ancient 
and  prominent  families  of  Portsmouth,  Rhode 
Island. 

There  follow  in  chronological  order  and 
somewhat  in  detail  the  successive  generations 
of  this  New  Bedford  branch  of  Reads. 

(I)  John  Read,  supposed  son  of  William  and 
Lucy  (Henage)  Read,  was  bom  in  1598,  and 
it  is  said  came  to  America  with  the  great  fleet 
in  1630.  He  is  of  record  in  1637  in  Wey- 
mouth, was  in  Dorchester  the  next  year,  and 
went  from  there  to  that  part  of  Braintree  now 
Quincy.  In  1643  or  1644  he  accompanied  Rev. 
Mr.  Newman  and  his  church  society  to  Reho- 
both, where  his  name  appears  the  third  on  the 
list  of  purchasers  of  the  town.  He  was  a  man 
of  large  property  for  those  times,  and  held  the 
ofBce  of  constable,  which  was  the  chief  execu- 
tive office  in  town.  He  lived  in  that  part  of 
Rehoboth  now  Seekonk,  and  was  a  prominent 
and  leading  man;  he  kept  a  public  house.  He 
died  Sept.  7,  1685,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  The 
Christian  name  of  his  wife  was  Sarah,  and  their 


children  were :  Samuel,  William,  Abigail,  John, 
Thomas,  Ezekiel  and  Zachariah  (twins),  Moses, 
Mary,  Elizabeth,  Daniel,  Israel  and  Mehetabel. 

(II)  John  Read  (2),  bom  Aug.  29,  1640, 
in  Braintree,  married  Rachel.  Mr.  Read  was 
killed  by  the  Indians  in  the  fight  March  21, 
1676,  sometimes  styled  "Pierce's  Fight."  He 
was  a  prominent  man  and  was  distinguished  by 
the  appellation  of  "Mr."  His  children  were: 
Sarah,  born  Dee.  14,  1664;  Mehetabel,  bom 
April  13,  1667;  John,  born  Dec.  8,  1669;  and 
Thomas,  born  July  23,  1672. 

(III)  Thomas  Read,  born  July  23,  1672, 
in  Rehoboth,  married  (first)  June  21,  1699, 
Sarah  Butterworth,  and  (second)  Martha.  Mr. 
Read  died  Nov.  25,  1748.  His  children,  all 
excepting  the  eldest  born  to  the  second  wife, 
were:  Patience,  born  April  16,  1708;  Thomas, 
March  10,  1712;  Martha,  Nov.  4,  1715;  Noah, 
Dec.  26,  1717;  Hannah,  June  18,  1720;  Sarah, 
Dec.  12,  1722;  and  Peter,  Dec.  26,  1724. 

(IV)  Noah  Read,  born  Dec.  26,  1717,  in 
Rehoboth,  married  Anna  Hunt.  He  died  Oct. 
14,  1773.  Their  children  were:  Peter,  bom 
Nov.  20,  1742;  Martha,  May  2,  1744;  Noah, 
Feb.  19,  1746;  Perez,  Aug.  4,  1748;  Cyrel, 
Sept.  20,  1750;  Thomas,  Dec.  25,  1752;  Anna, 
May  29,  1755;  Judith,  July  20,  1758;  William, 
Oct.  12,  1760;  and  Lois,  Dec.  23,  1763. 

(V)  Thomas  Read,  born  Dec.  25,  1752,  in 
Rehoboth,  married  Hannah  Bourne,  bom  Dec. 

24,  1761,  died  Jan.  10,  1817,  and  lived  at  Re- 
hoboth, Mass.,  where  their  children  were  bom 
and  where  Mr.  Read  died  Sept.  2,  1816.  The 
children  were :  William,  born  in  October,  1785 ; 
Francis,  Aug.'  3,  1787  (died  in  1814) ;  Betsy, 
October,  1789  (died  in  1847) ;  Thomas,  April 
28,  1791;  Samuel,  April  3,  1794;  Noah,  July 

25,  1796;  and  John  B.,  May,  1799  (died  in 
1848). 

(VI)  William  Read,  born  Oct.  19,  1785,  in 
Rehoboth,  Mass.,  married  March  6,  1808,  Sarah 
Rogers,  and  lived  in  Somerset,  Mass.,  where 
some  of  his  children  were  born;  he  also  lived 
later  at  Fall  River,  where  he  died  Nov.  2,  1863. 
His  children  were :  Hannah  Bourne,  born  Oct. 
9,  1808,  died  June  16,  1838 ;  Peter,  born  Jan. 
22,  1810,  died  Jan.  22,  1811;  William  was 
born  Feb.  13,  1811;  Thomas,  born  April  30, 
1814,  died  Oct.  5,  1822;  Francis  Bourne  was 
born  March  15,  1816;  Joseph  R.  was  bom  July 
5,  1818;  Julia  Ann,  born  Dec.  21,  1821,  died 
unmarried  in  1904. 

(VII)  Joseph  R.  Read,  son  of  William  and 
Sarah  (Rogers)  Read,  was  born  July  5,  1818, 
in  Somerset,  Mass.,  and  early  in  life  learned 
the  tailor's  trade  in  Fall  River,  Mass.  Remov- 
ing to  New  Bedford  he  was  employed  as  a  cut- 


620 


SOUTHEASTEBN  MASSACHUSETTS 


ter  in  the  outfitting  firm  of  0.  &  E.  W.  Sea- 
bury  until  1850.  In  the  year  last  named,  asso- 
ciated with  Edward  T.  Taber,  who  had  been  in 
the  employ  of  the  same  firm,  he  purchased  the 
business  of  the  firm,  and  continued  it  with  suc- 
cess. Subsequently  Nathan  S.  Ellis  was  admitted 
to  a  partnership  in  the  concern  and  later, 
on  the  death  of  Mr.  Ellis,  he  was  succeeded 
by  Darius  P.  Gardner,  and  the  business  was 
so  carried  on  and  with  great  success  until  the 
time  of  Mr.  Read's  death. 

A  man  of-  quiet  manner,  unostentatious  and 
devoted  to  business,  Mr.  Read  had  little  or  no 
taste  and  less  ambition  for  public  position; 
however,  he  was  a  member,  and  an  efficient  and 
valued  one,  in  1874,  of  the  board  of  aldermen 
of  the  city.  He  was  a  man  of  decided  and  clear 
convictions,  and  enjoyed  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  fond  of 
the  best  literature  and  especially  of  history, 
possessed  an  unusual  mind  and  had  fine  con- 
versational powers.  His  social  qualities  en- 
deared him  to  a  large  circle  of  friends,  and 
these  same  qualities  made  his  home  ever  bright 
and  cheerful.  This  home,  too,  was  most  dear 
to  him.    He  died  Sept.  12,  1879. 

On  JSTov.  17,  1844,  Mr.  Read  was  married 
to  Cynthia  A.,  born  Sept.  30,  1823,  daughter 
of  Jonathan  and  Cynthia  (Howard)  Potter,  he 
a  direct  descendant  of  Nathaniel  Potter,  an 
Englishman  who  came  to  New  England  as 
early  as  1638  and  settled  in  Portsmouth,  R. 
I.;  was  admitted  an  inhabitant  of  the  island 
of  Aquidneck  in  that  year  and  in  the  follow- 
ing year  was  one  of  the  twenty-nine  signers 
of  the  Compact  binding  them  "into  a  civil  body 
politicke,"  from  whom  his  descent  is  through 
Ichabod  Potter  and  wife  Eleanor,  Jonathan 
Potter  and  his  wife  Rebecca  (Southward)  and 
Wesson  Potter,  of  Westport,  and  his  wife  Mary 
(Kirby). 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Read  had  children  as  follows: 
Clara  A.,  bom  Sept.  28,  1845;  William  Fran- 
cis, born  Oct.  14,  1849,  who  married  Oct.  22, 
1879,  Eleanor  Masters,  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  and 
has  three  children — Warren  Kempton  (born 
Aug.  18,  1883,  married,  Oct.  27,  1907,  Jessie 
Sawyer,  of  Sharon,  Mass.,  and  has  one  child, 
Warren  Kempton.  Jr.,  born  Aug.  15,  1908), 
Joseph  Masters  (born  June  6,  1885,  married 
Jan.  12,  1909,  Amelia  Hazleton,  of  Rome,  N. 
Y.,  and  has  two  children,  Eleanor,  born  Sept. 
27,  1909,  and  Elizabeth,  born  Feb.  26,  1911), 
and  Everett  Preston  (born  April  25,  1887) ; 
Ella  Howard,  born- Dec.  13,  1850;  and  Charles 
Warren,  born  Jan.  19,  1853,  who  married  Jan. 
21,  1908,  Elizabeth  Williams,  of  New  Bedford, 
Mass.,  daughter  of  Theodore  F.  Williams. 


ARTHUR  VINAL  LYON,  M.  D.,  one  of  the 

leading  representatives  of  his  profession  in  Ply- 
mouth county,  Mass.,  is  a  descendant  of  several 
of  New  England's  earliest  settled  families.  The 
Lyon  family  has  been  prominently  identified 
with  the  history  of  this  country  for  over  two 
hundred  and  fifty  years,  as  have  many  of  the 
families  allied  with  it  by  marriage,  many  of 
whom  have  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  the 
annals  of  American  history.  This  article,  how- 
ever, is  to  treat  of  the  Lyon  family  of  which 
Dr.  Arthur  Vinal  Lyon,  of  Brockton,  is  a  lineal 
descendant  in  the  eighth  generation,  tracing 
line  back  through  Ellis  V.  (VII) ;  Vinal  (2) 
(VI);  Vinal  (V);  Jedediah  (IV);  Samuel 
(III)  ;  and  William,  Jr.  (II),  to  William  (I), 
of  Roxbury,  who  was  the  American  progenitor 
of  the  family.  The  genealogy  of  the  family 
follows  in  chronological  order. 

(I)  William  Lyon,  aged  "fourteen  years,"  is 
found  among  the  passengers  that  embarked  for 
America  in  the  ship  "Hopewell,"  Sept.  11,  1635, 
at  London,  England.  It  is  the  supposition  that 
he  was  an  orphan,  and  is  said  to  have  been 
placed  in  the  care  of  Isaac  Heath,  at  Roxbury. 
There  appears  to  be  no  reason  to  question  the 
conclusion  reached  by  Albert  Welles  in  his 
American  Family  Antiquity  that  this  was  the 
William  Lyon  who  was  baptized  at  Heston,  now 
a  part  of  the  city  of  London,  Dec.  23,  1620, 
youngest  son  of  William  and  Anne  (Carter) 
Lyon,  of  Heston.  According  to  Welles,  Henry 
Lyon,  fourth  in  descent  from  Baron  John  de 
Lyon,  left  Norfolk,  which  had  been  for  more 
than  two  hundred  years  the  ancestral  home,  and 
settled  in  Ryslippe,  County  of  Middlesex.  The 
family  remained  in  Ryslippe  through  four  gen- 
erations. John  Lyon,  born  in  Ryslippe  about 
1470,  married  Emma  Hedde,  of  Ryslippe,  and 
had  four  sons,  Henry,  Thomas,  Richard  and 
John.  The  latter  settled  in  Little  Stanmore, 
County  of  Middlesex ;  his  wife's  name  was  Joan, 
and  their  oldest  son,  born  in  1540,  was  William, 
who  married  Isabel  Wightman.  William  lived 
for  a  time  (1596)  in  London,  but  was  buried 
Sept.  7,  1624,  at  Little  Stanmore.  He  had  a 
brother  Thomas,  whose  son  William  was  called 
the  Marquis  of  Southwold,  and  was  the  owner 
of  the  ship  "Lyon"  which  brought  to  America 
so  many  emigrants.  William  and  Isabel  Wight- 
man  had  a  son  William  born  about  1580.  He 
married  July  17,  1615,  at  Harrow-on-the-Hill, 
Anne  Carter,  and  made  his  home  in  Heston. 
His  children  were :  Katharine,  baptized  Oct. 
25,  1616;  John,  baptized  Nov.  30,  1617,  who 
died  in  infancy;  John,  baptized  June  1,  1619; 
and  William,  baptized  Dec.  23,  1620. 

In  Roxbury  land  records  the  name  of  Wil- 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


621 


Ham  Lyon  appears  as  Lion,  Lyon  and  Lyons, 
and  he  seems  to  have  written  it  himself  some- 
times Lion,  sometimes  Lyon  or  Ljon.  He  mar- 
ried June  17,  1646,  Sarah  Ruggles,  daughter 
of  John  and  Mary  (Curtis)  Euggles,  of  Nasing, 
England.  She  was  born  April  19,  1629,  and 
came  to  America  with  her  parents  while  yet 
an  infant.  Her  death  is  not  found  recorded 
in  Roxbury,  but  probably  occurred  in  Rowley, 
for  in  1677  William  Lyon,  "of  Rowley,"'  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Martha  (Pliilbrick)  Casse, 
widow  of  John  Casse.  In  1645  William  Lyon 
was  a  member  of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable 
Artillery  Company  of  Roxbury.  He  received 
in  1648  a  grant  of  land  in  Roxbury,  where  his 
name  also  appears  as  grantee  of  deeds  of  lands. 
When  the  new  settlement  at  New  Roxbury  (now 
Woodstock),  Conn.,  was  determined  upon,  in 
1686,  he  was  one  of  the  "goers"  and  he  was 
assigned  a  lot  there,  although  he  did  not 
actually  occupy  it.  Several  of  his  grandsons, 
William,  Thomas,  John  and  Jacob,  were  prom- 
inent members,  however,  of  the  new  Colony. 
The  Lyon  homestead  in  Roxbury  was  on  what 
ia  now  Bellevue  avenue,  formerly  called  Lyon 
street.  William  Lyon  was  admitted  to  full  com- 
munion in  John  Eliot's  Church  in  1655,  and 
became  a  freeman  in  1666.  He  lived  to  the  age 
of  seventy-two,  and  was  buried  May  21,  1692, 
probably  in  the  West  Roxbury  cemetery,  al- 
though there  is  no  stone  there  to  mark  his 
grave.  His  widow  died  about  1694.  His  will 
was  dated  in  the  year  1692,  and  was  probated 
Oct.  27,  1692,  the  inventory  amounting  to  £213. 
The  children  born  to  William  and  Sarah 
(Ruggles)  Lyon,  at  Roxbury,  were^  John, 
Thomas,  Samuel,  William,  Joseph,'  Sarah, 
Jonathan  and  Jonathan  (2),  the  latter  two 
dying  in  infancy. 

(II)  William  Lyon,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Rox- 
bury, Mass.,  where  he  was  baptized  July  18, 
1652,  and  died  there  Aug.  10,  1714.  His 
tombstone,  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  still 
stands  in  the  West  Roxbury  cemetery.  On  Sept. 
1,  1675,  in  Roxbury,  he  married  Sarah  Dunkin, 
presumably  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Dunkin. 
She  died  Feb.  9,  1689,  and  he  married  (second) 
Nov.  18,  1690,  Deborah,  who  survived  him,  dy- 
ing March  12,  1717.  He  was  one  of  the  goers 
at  the  time  of  the  New  Roxbury  settlement 
(afterward  Woodstock,  Conn.),  but  although 
he  received  a  grant  of  land  there  in  1686  he 
did  not  go  there  to  live.  The  children  of  Wil- 
liam and  Sarah  (Dunkin)  Lyon,  born  in  Rox- 
bury, were:  William,  Samuel,  Hannah,  Ben- 
jamin and  Mehitable ;  and  of  William  and  Deb- 
orah Lyon  were :  Deborah,  David,  Martha  and 
Jacob. 


(III)  Samuel  Lyon  was  born  in  Roxbury 
Sept.  20,  1679,  and  died  in  Middleboro,  Mass., 
Feb.  22,  1756,  in  the  seventy-seventh  year  of  his 
age.  He  married  (first)  Maria  Kenrick  (born 
1675,  died  April  25,  1704),  and  married  (sec- 
ond) Dec.  20,  1704,  Joanna  Weld,  daughter 
of  John  and  Hannah  (Prentice)  Weld.  She 
was  born  Sept.  15,  1685.  Samuel  Lyon  is 
spoken  of  as  "of  Newtown"  in  1714,  but  seems 
to  have  been  then  residing  in  Roxbury.  He  is 
also  called  "lieutenant."  He  moved  with  his 
family  to  Middleboro,  and  united  with  the 
church  there  Jan.  23,  1732.  The  only  child 
born  to  Samuel  and  Maria  Lyon  was  John.  To 
Samuel  and  Joanna  Lyon  were  born:  Eleazer, 
Jonathan,  Edward,  Sarah,  Hannah,  William, 
Jedediah  and  Phebe. 

(IV)  Jedediah  Lyon  was  born  in  Roxbury, 
Mass.,  Sept.  7,  1721,  and  died  in  Middleboro, 
Mass.,  Feb.  9, 1807.  He  married  Nov.  24, 1743, 
at  Middleboro,  Mary  Cushman,  born  Dec.  22, 
1723,  daughter  of  Ichabod  and  Patience 
(Holmes)  Cushman,  of  Plympton,  Mass.  At  the 
Lexington  alarm  Jedediah  Lyon  was  corporal 
in  Capt.  Abiel  Pierce's  company  of  militia,  and 
he  served  three  months,  1776-77,  as  private 
in  Capt.  Nehemiah  Allen's  company,  being  then 
fifty-five  years  old.  The  children  of  Jedediah 
and  Mary  (Cushman)  Lyon,  born  in  Middle- 
boro, were :  Samuel,  Joanna,  Fear,  Joanna  (2), 
Mary,  Isaac,  Rebecca,  Phebe,  Lemuel,  Lucy 
and  Vinal. 

(V)  Vinal  Lyon  was  born  presumably  in 
Middleboro,  Mass.,  although  no  town  record  is 
found,  date  probably  between  1762  and  1766. 
He  died  in  Middleboro  Nov.  28,  1819.  On 
Sept.  8,  1796,  he  married  Chloe  Richmond. 
Accdrding  to  the  Plymouth  county  Probate 
records  his  widow  was  appointed  guardian  May 
1,  1820,  of  four  minor  children,  Jane  Wash- 
burn, Chloe  Richmond,  Phebe  and  Vinal,  all 
under  fourteen  years  of  age.  The  children  of 
Vinal  and  Chloe  (Richmond)  Lyon,  all  born 
in  Middleboro,  v<'ere :  Mary  C.,  born  June  21, 
1797,  died  Jan.  1,  1820 ;  Lemuel,  born  April  19, 
1799,  died  May  21,  1848 ;  Jane  Washburn,  born 
May  19,  1801,  married  Jan.  24,  1822,  Jason 
Wilbur;  Chloe  Richmond,  born  Oct.  4,  1803, 
married  Philip  Wood;  Fear  T.,  born  in  1809, 
died  Jan.  22,  1820;  Eunice,  born  in  1813,  died 
Dec.  15,  1819;  Phebe  married  Hosea  Kingman, 
and  died  without  issue  ;  Vinal  was  born  Nov.  30, 
1811. 

(VI)  Vinal  Lyon  (2)  was  born  in  Middle- 
boro, Mass.,  Nov.  30,  1811.  He  was  a  builder 
and  carpenter,  employing  many  men,  and  con- 
tinued at  this  occupation  during  the  actjve  years 
of- his  life,  a  thrifty,  enterprising  man,  success- 


622 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


ful  in  his  business  enterprises.  He  became  a 
sutler  in  the  Civil  war,  and  returned  home 
broken  in  health.  He  was  a  Whig  and  later  a 
Republican  in  political  faith,  and  served  the 
town  of  North  Bridgewater  as  a  selectman  for 
several  years.  He  built  the  large  house  in 
Campello,  corner  of  Main  street  and  Lyon 
avenue,  where  he  resided,  and  which  is  still 
owned  in  the  family.  He  died  Nov.  16,  1866. 
On  Oct.  25,  1840,  he  married  Deiparis  Williams 
Keith,  who  was  bom  Oct.  8,  1818,  and  died 
April  9,  1892,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Mehit- 
able  (Perkins)  Keith,  and  a  direct  descendant 
of  Rev.  James  Keith,  the  first  minister  at 
Bridgewater.  The  children  born  of  this  union 
were:  Ellis  Vinal,  born  Aug.  30,  1841,  is 
mentioned  below;  Martha  Ann,  born  Nov.  10, 
1843,  married  April  8,  1866,  Edmund  B.  Fan- 
ning, of  Brockton ;  Chloe  Richmond,  born  April 
5,  1845,  married  June  3,  1866,  Lysander  F. 
Gurney,  of  Brockton,  who  is  mentioned  else- 
where ;  Granville  Ward,  born  Oct.  7,  1846,  mar- 
ried Dec.  3,  1873,  Sallie  J.  Hart,  and  they  are 
living  at  Enterprise,  Ky.,  where  he  is  stationed 
as  a  Methodist  minister;  Mary  Williams,  born 
Sept.  16,  1849,  married  April  17,  1872,  Rufus 
E.  Packard,  late  of  Brockton ;  Abbie  Jane,  born 
Sept.  7,  1851,  married  Sylvester  0.  Snyder 
Aug.  20,  1872,  and  died  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  in 
1905 ;  and  Maggie  Keith,  born  March  24,  1859, 
died  in  July,  1859. 

(VII)  Ellis  Vinal  Lyon  was  born  in  North 
Bridgewater  Aug.  30,  1841.  He  was  a  graduate 
of  the  State  normal  school  at  Bridgewater,  and 
for  several  years  was  successfully  engaged  in 
teaching  in  Braintree  and  North  Weymouth.  In 
1861  he  enlisted  in  the  4th  Massachusetts 
Cavalry,  Captain  Richmond,,  and  died  in  Peters- 
burg, Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864.  His  term  of  service 
had  expired,  and  his  family  and  friends  were 
expecting  him  home,  on  the  day  that  news  came 
of  his  death,  which  was  caused  by  peritonitis. 
His  body  was  embalmed  and  sent  home,  and  he 
was  buried  (vith  military  honors  on  Sunday, 
Oct.  3,  1864,  a  detachment  of  cavalry  attending. 
His  remains  are  interred  at  Weymouth.  Mr. 
Lyon  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church,  and  in  political  faith  was  a 
Republican.  On  Dec.  1,  1861,  he  married 
Hattie  F.  Kingman,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and 
Eveline  (Bates)  Kingman,  of  Weymouth,  who 
survives  and  resides  in  Brockton.  They  had  one 
son,  Arthur  Vinal. 

(VIII)  Arthur  Vinal  Lyon,  M.  D.,  was  born 
Jan.  12,  1863,  in  Braintree,  Mass.,  and  began 
his  educational  training  in  the  public  schools 
of  Weymouth,  graduating  from  the  Weymouth 
high  school  in  the  class  of   1879.     He  then 


entered  Thayer  Academy,  at  Braintree,  graduat- 
ing therefrom  in  the  class  of  1880.  Entering 
Amherst  in  the  latter  year,  he  was  a  student  at 
that  college  for  four  years,  receiving  the  degree 
of  A.  B.  in  the  class  of  1884,  and  the  degree  of 
A.  M.  was  conferred  upon  liim  in  1903  by  the 
same  institution.  He  took  a  medical  course 
at  Harvard  Medical  School,  graduating  with  the 
degree  of  M.  D.  in  1887.  After  receiving  his 
diploma  from  Harvard  he  immediately  took 
up  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession  in 
Brockton,  in  which  practice  he  has  continued 
with  marked  success.  Both  as  a  physician  and 
citizen  Dr.  Lyon  has  been  called  upon  to  hold 
many  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility,  and 
has  never  failed  to  respond  promptly  to  every 
call  made  upon  him.  He  has  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  school  board  of  Brockton  for  over 
twenty  years,  and  was  chairman  for  a  period 
of  five  years,  and  now  (1911)  is  serving  his 
seventh  term  as  a  member  of  that  board,  a 
term  constituting  three  years'  service.  He  has 
served  as  a  visiting  physician  of  the  Brockton 
hospital  since  its  organization.  Dr.  Lyon  is  a 
member'  of  the  Porter  Congregational  Church, 
and  has  served  several  years  as  a  member  of 
the  standing  committee  of  the  church.  In 
political  faith  he  is  a  believer  in  the  pj-inciples 
of  the  Republican  party. 

On  June  30,  1887,  Dr.  Lyon  was  married  to 
Mary  Adelaide  Bates,  daughter  of  Alpheus  and 
Hannah  M.  (Smith)  Bates,  of  East  Weymouth, 
and  this  union  has  been  blessed  with  three  sons, 
as  follows:  Ellis  Vinal,  born  May  21,  1889, 
died  Nov.  28,  1889;  Arthur  Bates,  born  July 
18,  1890,  graduated  from  the  Brockton  high 
school  in  the  class  of  1908,  and  is  now  a  student 
at  Amherst  College,  class  of  1912;  and  Harold 
Alpheus,  born  Aug.  3,  1893,  graduated  from 
the  Brockton  high  school  in  the  class  of  1911, 
and  is  now  a  student  at  Amherst  College,  class 
of  1915. 

Dr.  Lyon  is  a  man  whose  active  mind  is  not 
satisfied  with  present  conditions.  In  his  pro- 
fession he  is  constantly  studying,  keeping  him- 
self well  in  touch  with  the  discoveries  and 
theories  of  the  day.  He  holds  membership  in 
the  Brockton  City  Medical  Society  and  the 
Massachusetts  Medical  Society,  before  which 
bodies  he  is  a  frequent  debater.  His  practice 
is  a  large  one,  and  he  has  been  successful  in 
many  serious  cases,  and  is  frequently  called  into 
consultation,  the  members  of  his  profession 
recognizing  his  knowledge  of  the  various 
branches  of  the  profession. 

On  the  paternal  side  Dr.  Lyon  is  descended 
from  sixteen  of  the  "Mayflower"  passengers,  as 
follows :    Isaac  Allerton  and  wife,  Mary  Norris, 


i^^^<^ 


SOUTflEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


623 


through  their  daughter  Mary,  who  married 
Elder  Thomas  Cushman;  John  Alden  and  his 
wife,  Priscilla  MuUins,  through  their  son  Jos- 
eph; William  Mullins  and  his  wife  Priscilla; 
Elder  William  Brewster  and  wife;  Francis 
Cooke;  John  Howland;  John  Tilley  and  wife 
Bridget  and  their  daughter  Elizabeth,  who  mar- 
ried John  Howland;  Richard  Warren;  and 
Thomas  Rogers.  He  is  also  a  descendant  of 
four  of  the  "Fortune"  passengers,  and  thirteen 
of  the  passengers  of  the  "Ann"  and  "Little 
James."  He  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  nine  Revo- 
lutionary soldiers,  as  follows:  Col.  Simeon 
Gary;  Corporal  Jedediah  Lyon;  Levi  Keith; 
Benjamin  Keith;  Jonas  Reynolds;  Josiah  Per- 
kins, Sr. ;  Josiah  Perkins,  Jr.;  Ensign  Luke 
Perkins,  and  Job  Richmond.  He  is  also  a  lineal 
descendant  of  sixteen  of  the  original  proprietors 
of  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  and  of  seven  of  the 
original  proprietors  of  Taunton,  Massachusetts. 

HORACE  F.  WOODARD,  senior  member  of 
the  firm  of  Woodard  &  Wright,  last  manufac- 
turers of  Brockton,  is  one  of  the  substantial 
and  successful  business  men  of  that  thriving 
city,  and  as  well  one  of  the  honored  and  highly 
respected  citizens  of  the .  community  in  which 
he  is  so  well  and  favorably  known.  Mr.  Wood- 
ard is  a  native  of  Vermont,  bom  at  Tunbridge, 
Orange  county,  Sept.  25,  1835. 

Theodore  Woodard,  his  grandfather,  was  one 
of  the  original  sixty-one  grantees  of  the  town 
of  Vershire,  Orange  Co.,  Vt.,  in  1781,  but  of 
his  antecedents  and  whence  he  came  we  have 
failed  to  learn,  the  town  records  of  Vershire 
prior  to  1793  having  been  destroyed  by  fire 
about  that  time.  Theodore  Woodard  married 
Sally  Ferguson,  and  they  had  a  large  family, 
among  their  children  being:  John,  Cyrill, 
Jehial,  Harriet  and  Hannah. 

Jehial  Woodard,  son  of  Theodore,  and  father 
of  Horace  F.,  was  born  in  January,  1792, 
in  Vershire,  Vt.  He  was  engaged  extensively 
in  farming  and  also-  lan  a  grist  and  saw  mill. 
He  was  a  quiet,,  unpretentious  man,  generous 
and  kind  in  his  impulses,  hard-working,  in- 
dustrious, and  a  good  provider  for  his  family. 
In  early  life  he  allied  himself  with  the  Whig 
party,  later  becoming  a  Detfi'ocrat  of  the  old 
school,  but  he  was  not  inclined  to  office  seek- 
ing, preferring  to  give  his  time  to  his  business 
and  to  his  family,  to  whom  he  was  much  de- 
voted. His  unassuming  disposition  won  him 
many  friends,  and  he  enjoyed  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  the  commimity.  He  died  Jan.  27, 
1875,  in  South  Royalton,  Vt.,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-three  years. 

In  1817  Jehial  Woodard  married  Polly  Pea- 


body,  who  was  born  April  28,  1796,  in  Tun- 
bridge, Vt.,  daughter  of  John  Peabody,  of 
Tunbridge.  She  died  April  26,  1880,  at  South 
Royalton,  aged  eighty-four  years.  Thirteen 
children  were  born  to  this  worthy  couple,  of 
whom  we  have  the  following  record:  (1) 
Harvey  H.,  born  Aug.  25,  1818,  was  engaged 
in  the  hotel  business  in  South  Royalton,  Vt., 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  died  May  6,  1878. 
He  married  Adeline  E.  Davis.  (2)  Charles  W., 
born  Oct.  9,  1819,  died  in  May,  1826.  (3) 
Ira  K.,  bom  March  25,  1821,  died  Aug.  23, 
1822.  (4)  Mary,  born  Jan.  15,  1823,  married 
Enoch  Ordway,  and  died  May  19,  1855.  (5) 
John  Chandler,  born  Sept.  21,  1824,  was  a 
painter  by  trade,  and  died  July  22,  1907.  He 
married  Elizabeth  P.  Bennett.  (6)  Huldah 
P.,  born  Jan.  4,  1826,  married  Dr.  B.  H.  Phil- 
lips, and  died  Sept.  20,  1887.  (7)  Edith, 
born  Feb.  9,  1828,  died  July  25,  1830.  (8) 
Henry  M.,  born  May  4,  1830,  married  Sarah 
Sargent,  and  died  June  4,  1862.  (9)  Ellen  S., 
born  April  7,  1832,  is  the  wife  of  John  S. 
Hinkley,  to  whom  she  has  been  married  over 
fifty  years.  They  reside  at  Chicopee  Falls, 
Mass.  (10)  Emily,  bora  Dec.  17,  1833,  died 
Oct.  24,  1889,  unmarried.  (11)  Horace  F., 
born  Sept.  25,  1835,  is  mentioned  below.  (12) 
Albert  P.,  bom  July  22,  1837,  lives  in  Tun- 
bridge, Vt.,  where  he  carries  on  agricultural 
pursuits.  He  married  Jane  P.  Cushman.  (13) 
Lucinda  A.,  born  March  17,  1839,  died  in 
December,  1839. 

Horace  F.  Woodard  was  born  in  Tunbridge, 
Vt.,  and  obtained  his  early  educational  train- 
ing in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  town, 
his  time  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age 
being  divided  between  his  schooling  and  such 
assistance  as  his  strength  and  time  would  per- 
mit him  to  give  in  work  on  the  farm  and  in  his 
father's  mill.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  year,s  he 
left  home  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world. 
Going  to  Haverhill,  Mass.,  he  became  appren- 
ticed to  the  lastmaking  trade  with  Levi  C. 
Wadleigh,  in  whose  employ  he  remained  for  a 
period  of  about  twelve  years,  during  which  time 
he  had  so  closely  applied  himself  to  the  business, 
and  shown  his  worth  to  such  an  extent,  that 
he  was  made  foreman  of  the  plant,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  for  several  years.  Not  con- 
tent with  merely  a  meager  knowledge  of  the 
business  he  had  by  this  time  determined  should 
be  his  life  work,  he  then  went  to  Boston,  where 
for  about  a  year  he  was  employed  in  the  last 
factory  of  Gilson  &  Walker,  and  from  there 
changed  to  the  factory  of  the  Frohock  Last 
Company,  where  for  a  period  of  four  years  he 
was  foreman  of  the  plant.     Mr.  Woodard  then 


624 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


went  to  Stoughton,  Mass.,  where  for  a  term 
of  about  ten  years  he  was  foreman  in  the  last 
factory  of  Walker  &  Phinney,  and  their  suc- 
cessor, George  F.  Walker,  and  for  about  a  year 
was  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Woodard 
&  Sherman,  last  manufacturers,  of  South 
Weymouth,  Mass.,  at  the  end  of  that  time  sell- 
ing his  interests  to  his  partner.  During  these 
years  he  had  been  prudent,  and,  having  ac- 
quired a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  various 
details  connected  with  the  manufacturing  of 
lasts  of  all  kinds,  with  his  savings  he  came  to 
Brockton,  in  April,  1886,  and  purchased  an 
interest  in  the  firm  of  Lee  &  Wright,  last 
manufacturers,  taking  over  the  interests  of  the 
senior  partner,  the  firm  then  becoming  Wood- 
ard &  Wright.  Since  Mr.  Woodard's  connec- 
tion with  this  concern  the  business  has  been 
enlarged  and  expanded  until  to-day  the  firm  is 
one  of  the  best  known  in  that  line  of  business. 
All  kinds  of  lasts  for  the  shoe  trade  are  manu- 
factured, giving  employment  to  from  seventy- 
five  to  one  hundred  hands,  and  the  capacity  of 
the  establishment  is  about  35,000  pairs  of  lasts 
per  month,  the  product  being  used  by  the  best 
known  shoe  manufacturers  throughout  the 
country. 

While  a  resident  of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  Mr. 
Woodard  was  made  a  Mason,  joining  Merrimac 
Lodge,  A.  r.  &  A.  M.,  which  he  served  as  secre- 
tary for  one  year;  since  coming  to  Brockton  he 
has  identified  himself  with  St.  George  Lodge, 
of  Campello.  Although  not  a  member  of  any 
religious  denomination  Mr.  Woodard  attends 
church,  and  is  liberal  in  all  his  donations  to 
good  and  deserving  causes.  In  political  faith 
he  is  a  Republican,  with  independent  tend- 
encies. 

On  March  15,  1856,  Mr.  Woodard  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Sarah  Elizabeth  Carleton, 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Carleton,  of  Plaistow, 
N.  H.,  and  this  happy  union  has  been  blessed 
with  children  as  follows:  Arthur  Milton  died 
in  infancy;  Edward  C,  who  is  connected  with 
the  last  factory  of  his  father,  married  Inez 
Maria  Curtis,  of  Stoughton,  Mass.,  and  they 
have  children,  Charles  F.,  Bessie  M.,  Arthur  C. 
and  Horace  C. ;  Ernest  died  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-one years,  unmarried;  William  M.,  who  is 
associated  with  his  father  in  the  last  factory, 
married  Alice  King,  of  Brockton,  and  has  had 
twin  sons,  Carleton  K.  and  one  that  died  in 
infancy;  Myrtie  G.  is  the  wife  of  Arthur  M. 
Keith,  of  Brockton,  who  is  also  associated  with 
Mr.  Woodard  in  the  last  factory;  and  Bert 
LeRoy,  who  died  in  August,  1904,  married  Alice 
Drake,  and  had  one  daughter,  Mildred,  who 
has  since  been  adopted  by  her  aunt,  Mrs.  Keith. 


Mr.  Woodard  is  possessed  of  a  quiet,  unpre- 
tentious manner,  which  combined  with  a  kind- 
ly and  genial  make-up  has  won  for  him  many 
warm  friendships;  those  who  know  him  best 
are  warmest  in  their  friendship  for  him.  He 
is  very  generous  in  his  impulses,  and  no  needy 
ones  are  ever  turned  away  from  his  door  with- 
out receiving  his  attention.  He  is  not  prone 
to  pomp  or  ostentation,  but  rather  the  reverse, 
being  content  to  spend  his  leisure  moments  in 
the  companionship  of  his  family  and  home,  to 
both  of  which  he  is  very  devoted  and  indulgent. 
He  holds  a  warm  place  in  the  esteem  of  a  few 
intimate  friends,  and  for  their  comfort  and 
amusement  he  has  had  fitted  up  a  "club  room" 
in  his  barn,  where  almost  every  night  for  a  few 
hours  his  friends  congregate  to  enjoy  a  quiet 
and  friendly  game  of  cards;  this  coterie  is 
known  as  the  "Old  Men's  Club."  Mr.  Woodard 
is  also  fond  of  fishing  and  hunting  and  each 
year  spends  several  weeks  in  the  woods  or  by 
the  streams. 

CAPT.  HENRY  CLAY  HATHAWAY,   of 

New  Bedford,  United  States  shipping  commis- 
sioner and  auctioneer,  earlier  a  whaleman  and 
long  master  mariner,  was  born  Jan.  9,  1842, 
in  New  Bedford.  Probably  no  man  now  living, 
or  that  has  been  alive  for  a  score  of  years,  of 
the  master  mariners  who  have  been  identified 
with  the  whaling  interests  of  New  Bedford,  is 
more  widely  known,  either  personally  or  by 
reputation,  than  he  whose  name  introduces  this 
article.  Although  not  himself  attaining  first 
rank  in  this  service,  his  experience  has  been 
much  more  varied  than  that  of  many  who  fol- 
lowed the  pursuit  longer  than  he  did,  and  he 
has  often  played  a  part  in  events  of  importance 
which  have  marked  the  incidental  history  of 
whaling  voyages  with  thrilling  interest.  The 
"Gazelle"  and  the  "Catalpa"  furnish  to  lovers 
of  splendid  acts  a  store  of  romance,  and  neither 
of  these  can  be  mentioned  without  recalling  at 
the  same  time  tlie  services  of  humanity  which 
were  rendered  by  Captain  Hathaway  in  connec- 
tion with  each. 

Captain  Hathaway  springs  from  ancestry 
early  and  prominent  in  the  Taunton  region  of 
the  Commonwealth,  among  his  forebears  being 
John  Hathaway  and  John  Richmond.  John 
Hathaway,  born  in  England,  came  to  America 
at  the  age  of  ten  years  with  his  father  Nicholas, 
in  1639.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Plymouth 
Military  Company  in  1643.  He  was  living  in 
Taunton  in  1649;  was  admitted  a  freeman  in 
1670,  and  bought  a  tract  of  land  in  Freetown, 
lot  No.  18,  in  1671.  He  was  constable  in  1676 
and  1690  at  Taunton;  was  often  on  the  grand 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


625 


jury;  was  selectman  1680  and  1684,  and  deputy 
to  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  in 
1696-97.  His  home  was  in  what  is  now  Berk- 
ley, known  as  the  Farms.  The  site  of  the  house 
was  marked  by  an  iron  tablet  in  1889,  by  the 
Old  Colony  Historical  Society.  The  Christian 
name  of  his  first  wife  was  Martha.  In  1693 
he  married  (second)  Euth  Dyer,  a  widow  of 
Braintree,  who  died  in  1705. 

John  Hathaway  (2),  son  of  John,  born  in 
1650,  married  Hannah,  daughter  of  James  Burt, 
and  settled  in  Freetown,  where  he  died  in  1730. 
James  Burt  was  born  in  1622  in  England  and 
in  1635  sailed  in  the  "Falcon"  for  Barbadoes, 
where  his  older  brother  Richard  was  settled. 
A  few  years  later  he  came  to  New  England; 
was  in  Newport  in  1639,  but  his  home  seems 
to  have  been  with  his  brother's  family  in  Taun- 
ton, his  brother  having  soon  died. 

From  this  source  came  the  Hathaways  of 
Freetown,  where  were  born  John  and  Amey 
(Read)  Hathaway,  whose  children  were: 
Braddock  D. ;  John  B. ;  Joseph  R.,  who  located 
in  St.  Paul,  Minn. ;  and  William,  who  settled 
in  East  Bridgewater. 

Braddock  D.  Hathaway  was  bom  May  3, 
1806,  in  the  town  of  Rochester,  Mass.  He 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  and  became  an 
edge  tool  maker  of  considerable  skill ;  he  gained 
a  wide  acquaintance  through  the  fine  quality 
of  his  workmanship,  being  a  genius  in  his  line, 
and  had  a  reputation  for  honesty  that  gave  him 
high  standing  in  the  community  in  which  he 
lived.  Mr.  Hathaway  made  his  home  in  New 
Bedford,  where  he  died  April  13,  1879. 

On  Oct.  24,  1829,  Mr.  Hathaway  married, 
then  being  a  resident  of  Raynham,  Mass., 
Harriet  Richmond,  who  was  born  Nov.  27, 1805, 
in  Dighton,  Mass.,  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Abigail  (Swain)  Richmond,  he  a  shipwright  of 
Dighton  and  she  of  Nantucket.  Mrs.  Hatha- 
way was  a  direct  descendant  of  one  of  the  early 
and  prominent  families  of  this  section  of  Massa- 
chusetts, tracing  her  line  from  John  Richmond, 
the  immigrant,  who  came  to  America  from 
Ashton  Keynes,  Wiltshire,  England,  and  settled 
in  Taunton,  Mass.,  being  one  of  the  purchasers 
there  in  1637;  through  John  Richmond  (2)  of 
Taunton  and  his  wife  Abigail  Rogers,  formerly 
of  Duxbury ;  Lieut.  Joseph  Richmond  of  Taun- 
ton and  his  wife  Mary  (Andrews)  ;  Josiah  Rich- 
mond and  his  wife  Joanna  (Briggs) ;  Josiah 
Richmond  (2)  of  Dighton  and  his  wife  Lydia 
(Babbitt),  she  formerly  of  Berkley;  and  Joseph 
Richmond  of  Dighton  and  his  wife  Abigail 
(Swain). 

After  their  marriage  Braddock  D.  Hatha- 
way and  his  wife  lived  in  New  Bedford,  and 

40 


their  children  were:  Braddock  Richmond, 
born  June  28,  1830,  married  Harriet  A. 
Henderson;  Joseph  Richmond,  born  Aug.  11, 
1831,  married  Sarah  A.  Wilbur;  Freeman,  born 
April  23,  1833,  married  Martha  Damon;  Ben- 
jamin F.,  bom  Oct.  7,  1834,  died  March  18, 
1836;  Benjamin  F.  (2),  born  July  10,  1836, 
died  young;  John  Francis,  born  Feb.  21,  1839, 
a  Civil  war  soldier,  died  from  wounds  received 
at  Gettysburg;  Harriet,  born  May  28,  1840, 
married  Frederick  S.  Damon  (both  are  de- 
ceased) ;  Henry  Clay,  born  Jan.  9,  1842,  is 
mentioned  below ;  Charles  M.  was  born  Dec.  14, 
1843 ;  Abby  Swain,  born  May  26,  1845,  is  now 
deceased;  Allen,  born  June  22,  1847,  died  April  • 
27,  1848;  Richmond  was  born  Jan.  8,  1849; 
Amey  Read,  born  Feb.  5,  1852,  married  Thomas 
Mandell  Denham,  of  New  Bedford. 

Capt.  Henry  Clay  Hathaway,  son  of  Brad- 
dock D.  and  Harriet  (Richmond)  Hathaway, 
was  born  Jan.  9,  1842,  in  New  Bedford,  Mass. 
While  yet  in  his  fifteenth  year  young  Hathaway 
commenced  his  life  as  a  whaleman,  shipping 
Aug.  4,  1856,  in  the  "Lancer"  of  New  Bedford, 
a  395-ton  vessel  of  which  Capt.  Aaron  C.  Cush- 
man  was  master  and  Richmond  &  Wood  agents. 
His  very  first  trip  was  an  eventful  one.  Captain 
Cushman  was  accompanied  by  his  wife,  who  had 
long  been  sick  with  consumption,  and  who  as 
a  last  resort  had  undertaken  a  voyage  to  the 
South  Pacific  in  the  hope  of  regaining  her 
health.  So  little  hope  was  there  for  her  re- 
covery that  her  husband  had  made  preparations 
in  fitting  out  the  "Lancer"  to  care  for  her  body 
in  case  of  death.  He  himself  answered  the  last 
summons  before  Jiis  wife.  Coming  up  from  the 
cabin,  Captain  Cushman  fell  dead  upon  the 
deck  while  speaking  to  one  of  the  crew,  and 
within  a  few  feet  of  where  Hathaway  was 
serving  a  turn  at  the  wheel.  This  was  Nov.  23, 
1856,  and  the  preparations  he  had  made  for 
the  death  of  another  served  for  himself.  His 
body  was  sent  home  from  Pernambuco,  and 
later  his  wife  was  transferred  to  a  ship  home- 
ward bound.  She  died  almost  in  sight  of  land, 
while  coming  up  Massachusetts  bay.  Hathaway 
did  not  finish  the  trip  on  the  '"Lancer,"  but 
after  two  years'  service  left  her,  for  no  par- 
ticular reason,  at  Payta,  in  Peru,  made  his  way 
to  Callao,  and  returned  home  in  a  merchant 
vessel,  the  "Enterprise,"  of  New  York. 

On  Aug.  25,  1858,  Captain  Hathaway  sailed 
in  the  bark  "Callao,"  of  New  Bedford,  a  vessel 
of  324  tons,  Andrew  J.  Fuller  being  master  of 
the  vessel  and  Henry  Taber  &  Co.  agents.  The 
"Callao"  went-  as  far  north  as  the  Okhotsk  sea, 
and  was  out  four  years.  She  returned  July  20, 
1862,  with  a  total  of  214  barrels  of  sperm,  1,543 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


of  whale  and  10,063  pounds  of  bone.  On  Sept. 
2,  1862,  Hathaway  again  left  New  Bedford,  this 
time  in  the  bark  "Hercules,"  a  vessel  of  335 
tons,  and  went  again  to  the  Okhotsk  sea.  John 
G.  Dexter  was  master,  Swift  &  Perry  agents. 
The  "Hercules"  arrived  home  May  5,  1866, 
and  returned  to  her  owners  348  barrels  of  sperm, 
2,678  of  whale,  and  25,600  pounds  of  bone. 
On  Aug.  15,  1866,  he  went  as  third  officer  of 
the  ship  "Gazelle"  to  the  Indian  ocean,  of  which 
vessel  Capt.  David  R.  GiSord  was  master,  and 
E.  C.  Jones  agent.  The  "Gazelle"  returned 
home  April  20,  1870,  with  a  total  of  1,600 
barrels  of  sperm  and  three  of  whale.  It  was 
during  this  trip  that  the  "Gazelle"  was  made 
famous  in  England  and  America  by  the  rescue 
of  John  Boyle  O'Reilly,  to  which  reference  will 
be  made  further  on.  On  Oct.  26,  1870,  Captain 
Hathaway  shipped  as  first  mate  of  the  "Ga- 
zelle," but  went  only  as  far  as  the  Cape  Verde 
islands,  where,  having  taken  sick,  he  left  the 
ship  and  returned  home.  Captain  Gilford  died 
aboard  ship  on  this  trip,  Aug.  26,  1873. 

On  April  25,  1871,  Captain  Hathaway 
shipped  as  first  mate  in  the  bark  "Milwood," 
and  went  to  Cumberland  Inlet  on  the  coast  of 
Greenland.  Sanford  S.  Milner  was  master,  and 
Gideon  Allen  &  Sons  agents.  The  "Milwood" 
had  good  fortune  for  some  six  months,  but  was 
caught  in  the  drift  and  driven  ashore  Nov.  13, 

1871,  on  Black  Lead  island,  about  fifty  miles 
from  the  coast  of  Greenland,  and  went  to  pieces. 
The  crew  stripped  the  vessel  and  established 
themselves  on  the  island  for  the  winter.  Here 
was  a  settlement  of  some  three  hundred 
Eskimos,  and  what  with  provisions  saved  from 
the  wreck,  and  the  rewards  of  gunning  and 
fishing.  Captain  Hathaway  and  his  comrades 
had  as  pleasant  time  as  civilized  people  could 
expect  in  such  locality.  Their  stay  on  Black 
Lead  island  came  to  an  end  in  September  of 
the  next  year,  when  the  steam  whaler  "Tigris," 
of  St.  John,  N.  B.,  entered  the  inlet.  The 
"Tigris"  was  under  charter  for  a  summer  cruise 
by  Captain  Spicer  of  New  London,  and  the 
whole  party  embarked  on  her.  Accidents  did  not 
end  here,  for  the  "Tigris"  broke  her  shaft  com- 
ing out  and  had  to  make  her  way  home  under 
sail.  Some  of  the  crew  of  the  "Milwood"  left  the 
"Tigris"  at  St.  John,  and  the  others,  including 
Captain  Milner  and  Captain  Hathaway,  went 
in  her  to  New  London,  arriving  there  Oct.  19, 

1872.  The  "Tigris"  brought  back  140  barrels 
of  whale  and  twenty-two  bundles  of  bone  saved 
from  the  wrecked  vessel,  and  previously  twenty 
barrels  of  sperm  had  been  sent  home.  The 
"Milwood"  had  had  a  long  life.  She  was  built 
in  1806,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  she  hailed 
from  New  Bedford  until  thirty  years  later. 


With  this  trip  closed  the  service  of  Captain 
Hathaway  as  a  whaler.  He  served  for  four 
years  in  the  police  department  of  New  Bedford, 
becoming  assistant  marshal  of  police  in  1874, 
in  1875  being  appointed  captain  of  the  night 
force,  and  in  1876  appointed  chief  of  police 
under  Mayor  Abraham  H.  Howland,  Jr.,  wliich 
office  he  filled  with  credit  and  ability  for  two 
years.  He  organized  the  present  police  system, 
being  the  first  man  to  wear  a  uniform.  Re- 
signing from  the  police  force  he  went  to  sea 
again,  and  during  the  four  years  from  1878 
to  1882  made  fourteen  voyages  as  master  of  the 
packet  "Veronica"  for  Loum  Snow  &  Sons,  to 
the  Azores,  Madeiras  and  Canaries.  Since  then 
Captain  Hathaway  has  been  ashore,  engaged  as 
an  auctioneer  and  in  the  real  estate  business, 
with  office  on  Acushnet  avenue.  New  Bedford. 
In  1884  and  1885  he  served  the  city  as  overseer 
of  the  poor.  In  1884  President  Arthur  ap- 
pointed him  a  United  States  shipping  commis- 
sioner for  the  Thirteenth  Congressional  dis- 
trict, and  he  is  still  such  officer,  having  served 
for  over  twenty-seven  years,  being  one  of  the 
oldest  government  officials  in  New  England  in 
point  of  service. 

The  rescue  of  John  Boyle  O'Reilly  hag  been 
alluded  to  above.  Convicted  before  a  military 
commission  in  Ireland  in  1866,  O'Reilly  had 
been  sentenced  to  death  on  five  capital  charges. 
Then  his  sentence  was  commuted  to  imprison- 
ment for  life,  and  then  to  twenty  years'  penal 
service.  In  1867  he  was  transported  with  sixty 
other  political  prisoners  to  the  convict  settle- 
ment of  western  Australia.  Through  the  assist- 
ance of  a  Catholic  priest  O'Reilly  escaped  from 
a  convict  gang  at  work  on  the  Banbury  road, 
and  several  days  later  was  picked  up  from  an 
open  boat  some  eighty  miles  off  shore  by  Cap- 
tain Gilford,  whose  sympathies  in  his  behalf 
had  been  enlisted  through  the  efforts  of  Father 
Patrick  McCabe,  the  priest  referred  to.  The 
escaped  prisoner  was  a  guest  on  the  "Gazelle" 
until  put  aboard  the  ship  "Sapphire,"  of  Bos- 
ton, bound  for  Liverpool.  From  that  port 
O'Reilly  made  his  way  to  America.  Between 
Hathaway  and  O'Reilly  a  strong  friendship 
began  at  sea  and  it  lasted  until  the  day  of  the 
latter's  death.  Both  men  were  of  about  the 
same  age  and  the  attraction  was  mutual.  What 
the  one  owed  to  the  other  may  be  best  inferred 
from  what  follows,  written  shortly  after 
O'Reilly's  death : 

Among  the  thousands  who  loved  the  brave 
and  tender  heart  just  silenced  by  death  was  one 
to  whom  he  was  bound  by  ties  of  affection  and 
gratitude.  O'Reilly  owed  his  escape  largely,  his 
immunity  from  recapture  wholly,  and  his  life 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


627 


itself  ultimately,  to  a  noble  American  sailor, 
Capt.  Henry  C.  Hathaway  of  New  Bedford. 
Captain  Hathaway  was  third  officer  of  the 
"Gazelle"  when  that  vessel  picked  up  the  escap- 
ing prisoner  off  the  coast  of  Australia.  With 
O'Reilly  was  an  uninvited  companion,  a  ticket- 
of-leave  man  and  a  wretched  criminal,  one 
Martin  Bowman,  who  had  discovered  O'Reilly's 
plan  and  threatened  to  divulge  it  if  he  were 
not  also  taken  on  the  "Gazelle."  Reluctantly 
enough  he  was  included  in  the  party.  After  a 
six  months'  whaling  voyage  the  "Gazelle" 
touched  at  Rodriguez,  an  English  plant  in  the 
Indian  ocean,  where  the  governor  came  aboard, 
and,  to  the  dismay  of  O'Reilly's  friends,  de- 
manded the  convict  they  were  harboring.  The 
mate,  to  gain  time,  gave  up  Bowman,  who, 
directly  he  was  landed,  obtained  his  own  release 
by  informing  against  O'Reilly.  This  had  been 
foreseen  and  provided  for  by  Hathaway.  Dur- 
ing the  night,  the  ship's  grindstone  and 
O'Reilly's  hat  were  thrown  overboard  together. 
The  cry  of  "man  overboard"  was  raised,  boats 
were  lowered,  and  so  cleverly  was  everything 
managed  that  one  of  the  English  ex-convicts 
aboard  declared,  when  questioned  by  the  police, 
that  he  saw  O'Reilly  sink.  The  Rodriguez  au- 
thorities were  deceived  by  the  ruse,  and  the 
ship  went  to  sea  with  O'Reilly  secreted  under 
the  steps  of  the  companionway.  How  Hathaway 
before  this  saved  the  life  of  his  strangely  found 
friend,  he  tells  best  himself  in  a  letter  which 
follows : 

New  Bedford,  Mass.,  1877. 
My  Dear  Friend: 

According  to  your  wish  I  will  now  endeavor  to  give 
a  brief  account  of  what  happened  on  the  day  when 
Mr.  O'Reilly  was  with  me  in  pursuit  of  a  "bad" 
whale  on  the  northwest  coast  of  Australia.  I  don't 
exactly  remember  the  date,  but  think  it  was  in  May, 
1869.  We  lowered  away  our  boats  for  whales,  and 
O'Reilly  was  very  anxious  to  go  in  my  boat;  I  told 
him  that  he  had  better  stay  by  the  ship,  but  he  in- 
sisted on  going.  I  finally  consented,  and  he  went. 
Mr.  Hussey,  in  another  boat,  struck  the  whale  first. 
I  noticed  the  whale,  as  soon  as  he  struck  him,  make 
for  Hussey's  boat,  but  didn't  think  at  the  time  he 
was  a  bad  one. 

We  then  started  for  him,  and  just  before  we 
reached  him  he  "settled,"  and  the  next  thing  I  saw 
was  his  back  close  to  our  boat.  I  told  Lambert,  the 
boat-steerer,  to  "give  it  to  him."  As  soon  as  he 
struck  him  the  whale  raised  his  flukes  and  struck 
our  boat  four  times,  knocking  her  to  atoms.  The 
first  time  he  struck  her  he  stove  her  badly,  and  she 
began  to  fill.  I  noticed  O'Reilly's  head  droop  as 
though  he  was  hurt.  The  rest  of  the  crew  jumped 
into  the  sea  away  from  the  boat  and  clung  to  their 
oars;  I  clung  to  the  stem  part  of  the  boat,  that  be- 
ing the  only  piece  left  large  enough  to  hold  a  man 
up;  this,  I  think,  was  about  ten  feet  long.  I  missed 
O'Reilly,  and  thought  he  must  have  drowned,  as  I 
knew  he  was  hurt.  When  the  whale  left  us  the  men 
swam  back  to  the  shattered  boat. 


I  remember  saying,  "0  my  God!  where  is  O'Reilly?" 
and  Bolter,  who  was  close  by  my  side,  said :  "There 
he  is  on  the  other  side  under  water."  I  looked,  and 
sure  enough  there  he  was  about  two  feet  from  the  sur- 
face of  the  water,  bobbing  up  and  down  like  a  cork. 
I  threw  myself  over,  and  by  clinging  to  the  broken 
keel  with  my  left  hand,  reached  him  by  the  hair  of 
the  head  with  my  right  hand  and  hauled  him  on  the 
stovcn  boat.  I  thought  then  that  he  was  dead,  as 
the  froth  was  running  from  his  nostrils  and  mouth; 
but  a  thought  struck  me  if  he  was  dead  he  would 
have  sunk;  so  I  raised  him  up  on  my  shoulder.  As  I 
lay  on  the  side  of  the  boat,  with  his  stomach  across 
my  shoulder,'  I  kept  punching  him  as  much  as  possi- 
ble to  get  the  salt  water  out  of  him. 

It  was  several  hours  before  he  realized  anything, 
as  the  ship  was  about  twelve  miles  from  us  to  the 
windward,  and  we  lay  on  the  stoven  boat  a  long  time 
before  we  were  picked  up  by  Mr.  Bryant,  the  fourth 
mate.  The  next  day  after  this  happened,  as  O'Reilly 
was  lying  in  his  bunk,  suffering  from  the  blow  of  the 
whale's  flukes,  he  said,  "Oh,  Hathaway,  why  didn't 
you  let  me  go?"  I  told  him  to  keep  quiet — that  he 
would  live  to  see  better  days ;  but  he  couldn't  see 
it.     We  don't  see  far  ahead,  after  all,  do  we? 

The  next  time  we  saw  whales  he  came  to  me  and 
said  he  would  like  to  go  with  me  again.  I  told  him 
"No,"  he  had  got  out  of  one  scrape,  and  had  better 
rest  contented.  But  he  insisted  on  going  and  I  con- 
sented, as  he  said  he  wanted  revenge.  We  were 
lucky  enough  that  day  to  get  a  good  big  fellow,  and 
I  think  he  had  his  revenge,  as  we  minced  him  up 
pretty  well.  I  think  it  was  the  death  of  that  whale 
that  suggested  his  poem  of  "The  Amber  Whale." 

I  wanted  to  say  how  it  was  that  Mr.  O'Reilly  was 
kept  on  board  the  "Gazelle"  as  long  as  he  was,  and 
who  influenced  Captain  GiS'ord  to  put  him  on  board 
the  "Sapphire,"  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope ;  but  as  I  do 
not  wish  to  say  anything  disrespectful  of  the  dead, 
I  will  let  it  drop.  But  I  will  say  that  if  I  hadn't 
"drowned"  him  at  the  Island  of  Rodriguez  two  months 
afterward,  when  the  English  governor  searched  the 
ship  for  him,  he  never  would  have  left  there  in  the 
"Gazelle,"  as  the  old  man  got  frightened. 
Yours  sincerely, 

Henry  C.  Hathaway. 

Captain  Hathaway  is  a  Republican  in  politics 
and  has  filled  the  office  of  alderman  for  Ward 
Three,  serving  under  three  mayors,  Brownell, 
Parker  and  Ashley,  respectively.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Star  in  the 
East  Lodge,  Council  and  Chapter,  and  Sutton 
Commandery,  of  the  Knights  Templars. 

Captain  Hathaway  married  July  19,  1870,  in 
New  Bedford,  Catharine  Perry,  born  in  New 
Bedford,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Ruth 
(Sampson)  Perry.  Their  children  were:  Ger- 
trude, born  in  September,  1875,  now  deceased; 
Henry  Clay,  Jr.,  Sept.  5,  1879,  who  married 
Maria  Moran;  Braddock  B.,  Aug.  31,  1882, 
who  is  associated  with  his  father  in  business. 


John  B.  Hathaway,  son  of  John  and  Amey 
(Read)  Hathaway,  was  born  July  7,  1808,  "in 
Rochester,  Mass.  At  the  age  of  six  years  he 
accompanied  his  family  on  their  removal  to 


628 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


the  village  of  Assonet,  and  from  that  time  on 
through  a  long  busy  life  he  was  identified  with 
the  affairs  of  Bristol  county.  When  eleven 
years  old  he  was  indentured  to  a  farmer  in 
Berkley  for  five  years.  He  later  learned  the 
shoemaker's  trade  and  followed  it  for  a  couple 
of  years  in  Assonet.  He  then  went  to  the  grow- 
ing village  of  Fall  Elver,  and  there  worked 
for  Mr.  Gardner  D.  Cook,  receiving  for  his 
services  $12  per  month  and  his  board.  From 
1828  to  1831  he  was  employed  at  calico  print- 
ing, but  owing  to  ill  health  he  was  obliged  to 
discontinue  the  business.  His  next  move  was 
to  open  a  shoe  store  to  which  in  the  year  1834 
he  added  groceries  and  took  his  brother  Joseph 
into  partnership  with  him.  His  health  con- 
tinuing poor  he  disposed  of  his  business  in 
1841.  One  year  later  he  began  again  in  the 
grocery  business,  this  time  engaging  in  the 
wholesale  trade.  He  was  burned  out  in  the  big 
fire  that  swept  his  portion  of  Fall  Eiver  in 
1843,  and  not  being  insured,  lost  every  dollar 
he  had  in  the  business.  He  erected  the  first 
building  constructed  after  the  fire,  this  on  the 
site  of  the  Wilcox  crockery  store  on  Bedford 
street,  where  he  continued  the  wholesale  grocery 
business  till  1854.  He  then  erected  a  block 
of  buildings  on  a  part  of  the  present  site  of  the 
Massasoit  National  Bank  building.  During  the 
succeeding  ten  years  he  made  a  competence,  and 
sold  at  the  end  of  that  period  the  business  to 
Messrs.  Petty,  Lawton  &  Co.,  and  retired.  He 
thereafter  led  a  quiet  life  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  fruits  of  his  labors.  He  passed  his  winters 
in  Florida  to  within  a  few  years  of  the  time 
of  his  death  and  his  summers  at  the  homestead 
of  his  wife  in  Westport. 

Mr.  Hathaway,  while  never  active  in  muni- 
cipal politics,  served  in  the  lower  branch  of 
the  State  Legislature  in  1866-67,  and  in  the 
Senate  in  1869-70.  He  died  Jan.  17,  1895,  at 
his  home  in  Fall  Eiver,  Mass.,  aged  eighty-six 
years,  six  months,  ten  days.  His  wife,  formerly 
Betsey  Phillips,  survived  him  and  died  March 
26,  1900.     They  had  one  son,  John  Francis. 

I 

HENEY  SWAN  POETEE,  now  high 
sheriff  of  Plymouth  county,  a  position  he  has 
most  efficiently  filled  for  several  years,  belongs 
to  what  in  way  of  designation  might  more 
properly  be  termed  the  Brockton-Plymouth  Por- 
ter family,  that  of  which  the  head  was  his 
father,  the  late  Ahira  Swan  Porter,  who  for 
years  was  one  of  the  substantial  men  and  citi- 
zens of  Brockton,  engaged  there  extensively 
as  a  dealer  in  horses  and  carriages ;  it  is  a 
branch  of  the  earlier  Stoughton  family  and  it 
of  the  early  Porter  family  of  Weymouth. 


From  Eichard  Porter,  of  Weymouth,  tlie  first 
American  ancestor  of  the  Brockton-Plymouth 
family  alluded  to  and  here  considered,  the  line- 
age of  Sheriff  Porter  of  Plymouth  county  is 
through  Sergt.  John  Porter,  Samuel  Porter, 
Samuel  Porter  (2),  Lieut.  Joseph  Porter,  Col. 
Cyrus  Porter,  Ahira  Porter  and  Ahira  Swan 
Porter.  These  generations  follow  in  the  order 
named  and  in  detail. 

(I)  Eichard  Porter,  coming  from  Weymouth, 
England,  in  1635,  settled  in  Weymouth,  Mass., 
where  he  received  grants  of  land  in  1648,  1661, 
1663  and  1668.  For  many  years  he  was  con- 
tinuously in  ofBce  as  selectman,  constable  and 
upon  committees.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
original  church  there  and  his  name  often  occurs 
on  the  old  records.  His  will  was  made  Dec. 
25,  1688,  and  the  inventory  of  his  estate  was 
made  March  6,  1689.  The  Christian  name  of 
his  wife  was  presumably  Euth,  and  their  chil- 
dren were:  John,  Euth  (born  Oct.  3,  1639), 
Thomas  and  Mary. 

(II)  Sergt.  John  Porter,  son  of  Eichard, 
was  a  resident  of  Weymouth,  Mass.,  and  is  said 
to  have  been  one  of  the  most  enterprising  men 
of  his  time.  He  had  many  land  grants  in 
Weymouth,  and  was  a  large  purchaser  of  lands 
in  ancient  Bridgewater  from  1686  to  1699.  He 
built  in  1693  the  first  sawmill  at  Little  Comfort, 
in  what  became  South  Abington.  He  and  his 
wife  sold  Grape  island  in  Weymouth  in  1705. 
Sergeant  Porter  was  a  useful,  honored  citizen, 
holding  all  the  various  offices  at  different  times. 
He  married,  Feb.  9,  1660,  Deliverance,  daugh- 
ter of  Nicholas  and  Martha  (Shaw)  Byram, 
and  they  died,  he  Aug.  7,  1717,  and  she  Sept. 
30,  1720.  Their  children,  all  born  in  Wey- 
mouth, were :  Mary,  born  Oct.  12,  1663 ;  Su- 
sanna, born  June  2,  1665;  John,  born  July  2, 
1667;  Samuel;  Nicholas;  Euth,  born  Sept.  18, 
1676;  Thomas;  Ebenezer,  and   Sarah. 

(III)  Samuel  Porter,  son  of  Sergt.  John, 
married  about  1698  Mary,  daughter  of  Jacob 
and  Abigail  (Dyer)  Nash,  of  Weymouth.  He 
was  town  officer  of  Weymouth  in  1707,  and 
about  that. iime  removed  to  Abington;  was  a 

, .shoemaker  and  schoolmaster.  He  bought  the 
Daniel  Axtel  farm  in  Abington  in  1712;  was 
assessor  of  the  town  in  1716 ;  selectman  in  1714 
and  for  three  years  thereafter.  In  1724  he  was 
employed  by  the  selectmen  to  teach  school.  He 
was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  church 
in  Abington,  where  he  died,  Aug.  31,  1725. 
His  children  were:  Samuel,  born  May  14, 
1699;  Mary,  Oct.  5,  1701:  David,  1702;  Jacob, 
Aug.  10,  1704  (all  in  Weymouth) ;  Hannah, 
Dec.  16, 1712 ;  John,  Feb.  2,  1716 ;  and  Abigail, 
June  23,  1719   (all  in  Abington). 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


629 


(IV)  Samuel  PorteT  (2),  born  May  14, 
1699,  in  Weymouth,  Mass.,  married  (first) 
July  2,  1722,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Sarah  (Ford)  Josselyn,  of  Abington,  and  (sec- 
ond) May  31,  1764,  in  Bridgewater,  Ruth  Reed. 
Mr.  Porter  probably  moved  to  Bridgewater 
soon  after  Dec.  1,  1742,  at  which  time  he  and 
his  wife  deeded  house  and  land  to  his  brother 
Jacob.  His  children  were :  Sarah,  born  Aug. 
26,  1723;  Mary,  Feb.  9,  1725;  Samuel,  Oct. 
12,  1727;  Joseph,  Feb.  27,  1730;  Ebenezer, 
Sept.  15, 1731 ;  Mary,  Aug.  3, 1733 ;  Adam,  Feb. 
24,  1735;  Hannah,  Feb.  18,  1736;  Betterus, 
Sept.  23,  1737;  Noah,  May  13, 1740;  Jonathan, 
Aug.  27,  1741 ;  Deliverance,  July  9,  1742 ;  Abi- 
gail, July  7, 1743 ;  Tabitha,  in  1744 ;  and  Sarah. 

(V)  Lieut.  Joseph  Porter,  born  Feb.  27, 
1730,  in  Abington,  Mass.,  married  Jan.  25, 
1753,  Elizabeth,  bom  July  4,  1733,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Content  (Whitcomb)  Burrell, 
of  Weymouth.  She  went  to  Abington  to  teach 
school,  and  was  there  married.  She  was  a 
woman  of  remarkable  personal  beauty,  as  were 
all  her  daughters.  Mr.  Porter  was  a  resident 
of  Bridgewater  and  Stoughton,  Mass.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  were  admitted  to  the  Bridgewater 
Church  in  1780.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  the 
militia  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  He  died 
Jan.  15,  1803,  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his 
age.  His 'widow  died  March  26,  1822,  aged 
eighty-nine  years.  His  children,  of  whom  the 
first  seven  were  recorded  in  Bridgewater,  were : 
Elizabeth,  born  Nov.  8,  1753;  Joseph,  June 
10,  1754;  Hannah,  July  21,  1758;  Robert, 
March  30,  1762;  Isaac,  Feb.  23,  1765;  Content, 
Feb.  5,  1767;  Mehetabel,  April  15,  1769;  Lib- 
beus,  April  22,  1771;  and  Cyrus,  1774. 

(VI)  Col.  Cyrus  Porter,  son  of  Lieut.  Jos- 
eph, born  in  1774,  married  (first)  in  1800  Re- 
'becca,   daughter   of   Capt.   William   and   Mary 

(Perkins)  French,  and  (second)  Sept.  8,  1835, 
Mrs.  Martha,  widow  of  Calvin  Alden  and 
daughter  of  Ebenezer  Hayden,  of  Stoughton. 
Mr.  Porter  was  a  resident  of  the  town  of 
Stoughton,  Mass.,  a  farmer,  occupied  much  in 
public  affairs  and  of  high  respectability.  He 
lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years,  and 
died  May  29,  1855.  His  children,  all  born  to 
the  first  marriage,  were:  Olive,  bom  Oct.  16, 
1800,  married  Caleb  Copeland;  Ahira  was  bom 
Nov.  9,  1801;  Rebecca,  bom  Nov.  11,  1803, 
died  May  25,  1804;  Rebecca  (2),  bom  in 
1805,  married  Marcus  Copeland;  Cyrus,  bom 
June  12,-  1807,  married  Eliza  J.  Dunbar;  Me- 
hetabel, bora  Dec.  3,  1808,  married  Ezra 
Churchill,  of  Stoughton ;  Luther,  bom  Dec.  18, 
1814,  married  Lucy  Talbot;  William  French, 
born  Jan.   23,   1823,  married  Harriet   Sears; 


Eliza  Ann,  born  April  5,  1829,  married  Wil- 
liam Hall,  of  North  Bridgewater. 

(VII)  Ahira  Porter,  son  of  Col.  Cyrus,  born 
Nov.  9,  1801,  in  Stoughton,  Mass.,  was  a  shoe- 
treer  by  trade,  which  vocation  he  followed 
during  the  active  years  of  his  life.  He  lived 
in  East  Stoughton,  Mass.,  where  he  died  Dec. 
6,  1863.  In  1826  he  married  Rachel  D.  Swan, 
who  died  Nov.  19,  1861.  Their  children  were: 
Ahira  Swan,  born  Jan.  20,  1827,  is  mentioned 
below;  Rachel  D.,  born  Dec.  27,  1828,  married 
and  resided  in  Worcester,  Mass.,  where  she  died; 
William,  born  Aug.  30,  1831,  died  in  Randolph, 
Mass.;  Samuel,  bom  June  27,  1833,  died  in 
Worcester,  Mass. ;  James,  born  Oct.  4,  1835, 
resides  at  Brant  Rock,  Mass.;  and  George  W., 
born  Jan.  30,  1843,  resides  in  Avon,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

(VIII)  Ahira  Swan  Porter,  son  of  Ahira, 
was  bom  Jan.  20,  1827,  in  Stoughton,  Mass., 
and  married  April  22,  1849,  Louisa  Packard, 
bora  Nov.  29,  1829,  daughter  of  Josiah  and 
Betsey  D.  (Bolton)  Packard,  of  North  Bridge- 
water,  Mass.,  and  a  direct  descendant  of  Samuel 
Packard,  who  with  his  wife  and  child  came  from 
Windham,  near  Hingham,  England,  in  the  ship 
"Diligence,"  of  Ipswich,  in  1638,  and  settled 
first  in  Hingham,  thence  removing  to  West 
Bridgewater,  where  he  was  a  tavern-keeper  and 
served  as  constable;  from  whom  her  descent  is 
through  Zaccheus  and  Sarah  (Howard)  Pack- 
ard; Israel  and  Hannah  Packard;  Seth  and 
Mercy  (Bryant)  Packard;  Jonathan  and  Su- 
sanna (Alger)  Packard;  Israel  and  Susanna 
(Edson)  Packard,  and  Josiah  and  Betsey  D. 
(Bolton)  Packard.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Porter 
were  born  two  sons,  as  follows:  Henry  Swan, 
born  May  27,  1852,  and  Frank  Forest,  bom 
Dec.  14,  1856.  The  latter  married  Rachel  A. 
Porter,  daughter  of  Lewis  Porter,  of  North 
Bridgewater,  and  they  had  one  son,  Ahira  L. 
Porter,  who  resides  in  Brockton,  where  he  is 
superintendent  of  the  Packard  &  Field  shoe 
factory. 

Ahira  Swan  Porter  passed  his  boyhood  in  his 
native  town,  and  in  early  life  followed  the  trade 
of  shoemaking  as  a  shoe-treer  there  until  about 
the  year  1853,  when  he  removed  to  the  town 
of  North  Bridgewater  (now  Brockton).  There 
he  embarked  in  the  hay  and  grain  business, 
opening  a  store  in  that  part  of  the  town  known 
as  "Factory  Village,"  which  he  conducted  for 
about  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
disposed  of  the  same  and  entered  the  business 
in  which  he  continued  successfully  until  his 
death.  On  May  13,  1857,  he  commenced  to  run 
a  stage  line  to  Boston,  making  three  trips  a 
week,  and  in  the  following  month,  because  of 


630 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


increasing  patronage,  began  to  make  daily  trips. 
He  continued  to  run  the  line  for  several  years, 
until  the  advent  of  the  railroad.  This  was 
actually  the  nucleus  of  his  livery  and  carriage 
business,  for  during  this  time  he  established  the 
livery  and  sale  stable  at  the  head  of  which  he 
continued  as  senior  member  of  the  firm — A.  S. 
Porter  &  Sons — organized  in  the  course  of 
time  until  his  death.  This  business  grew 
under  his  direction  to  one  of  the  largest 
of  its  kind  in  southeastern  Massachusetts,  and 
the  firm  was  one  of  the  most  widely  known  in 
its  line  of  trade  in  the  State.  As  his  sons 
grew  to  manhood  Mr.  Porter  took  them  into 
partnership,  the  firm  thereafter  being  known  as 
A.  S.  Porter  &  Sons,  continuing  as  such  until 
the  death  of  the  father.  This  enterprising 
firm  acted  as  agent  for  several  of  the  leading 
carriage  manufacturers,  and  its  repository  in 
Brockton  was  one  of  the  largest  in  the  State. 

Mr.  Porter  was  intensely  interested  in  mu- 
sical affairs,  and  had  one  of  the  first  orchestras 
in  the  town,  which  was  established  in  1848, 
and  for  fully  twenty  years  was  leader  of  a 
local  orchestra  bearing  his  name,  and  which 
was  known  far  and  near,  he  being  exceedingly 
popular  as  a  prompter.  On  various  occasions 
his  orchestra  was  called  upon  to  substitute  for 
the  well-known  Germania  Orchestra  of  Bos- 
ton. For  a  number  of  years  he  was  agent  for 
Martland's  Band,  one  of  the  best  known  musical 
organizations  in  southeastern  Massachusetts. 

In  October,  1876,  Mr.  Porter  was  appointed 
deputy  sheriff  by  the  sheriff,  Major  Bates,  and 
continued  to  serve  in  that  capacity  until  his 
death,  during  which  time  he  did  the  greater 
part  of  the  criminal  work,  and  was  perhaps 
the  best  known  deputy  sheriff  in  tlie  county. 
At  one  time  he  was  coroner  for  this  section. 
In  early  life  he  was  an  old-line  Whig,  and  upon 
the  formation  of  the  Republican  party,  in 
1856,  he  allied  himself  with  the  latter  party, 
and  continued  loyal  to  the  principles  of  that 
party  until  his  death. 

Mr.  Porter  was  a  member  of  Paul  Revere 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Brockton,  a  member 
of  the  Stoughton  Grenadiers,  and  a  fine  member 
of  the  Cunningham  Rifles. 

Mr.  Porter  died  in  Brock-ton  Nov.  12,  1886, 
in  the  sixtieth  year  of  his  age,  and  at  his 
funeral,  held  at  the  New  Jerusalem  Church, 
Nov.  17th,  there  were  many  evidences  of  the  re- 
spect and  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  in  the 
community  where  he  had  resided  for  so  many 
years;  it  was  largely  attended  by  the  citizens 
in  general,  and  there  were  delegations  from  the 
various  organizations  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected, the  following  being  represented:    Paul 


Revere  Lodge ;  Company  I,  Cunningham  Rifles ; 
M.  V.  M.;  Stoughton  Grenadier  Association; 
Martland's  Band;  city  board  of  engineers;  and 
deputy  sheriffs -of  the  county. 

(IX)  Henry  Swan  Porter,  son  of  the  late 
Ahira  S.  and  Louisa  (Packard)  Porter,  was 
born  May  27,  1852,  in  North  Bridgewater  (now 
Brockton),  Mass.,  and  in  the  common  schools 
and  the  high  school  of  his  native  town  acquired 
his  early  educational  training.  At  the  age  of 
twelve  years  he  entered  the  employ  of  Brett 
Brothers,  well-known  merchants  of  North 
Bridgewater,  as  a  clerk,  and  for  a  period  of  six 
years  continued  in  their  service  and  with  their 
successors,  during  the  hours  not  spent  in  the 
schoolroom.  After  leaving  school,  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  years,  he  entered  the  employ  of 
his  father,  and  in  1883  was  made  a  partner  in 
the  business,  the  firm  then  becoming  A.  S.  Por- 
ter &  Sons.  For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Porter 
had  charge  of  the  selling  end  of  the  business, 
and  traveled  extensively  over  various  sections 
of  the  State,  selling  carriages.  After  the  death 
of  his  father  Mr.  Porter  and  his  brother  con- 
tinued the  business  until  1894,  when  Mr.  Por- 
ter disposed  of  his  interests  in  the  business  to 
his  brother,  Frank  F.  Porter. 

In  political  faith  Mr.  Porter  is  a  stalwart 
adherent  of  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  been  active 
in  the  political  affairs  of  Plymouth  county.  He 
has  acted  in  the  public  service  of  the  county 
since  1875,  on  March  9th  of  which  year  he  was 
appointed  constable  and  police  officer  by  the  se- 
lectmen of  his  native  town,  continuing  in  that 
capacity  until  1882,  when  the  town  became 
the  city  of  Brockton.  On  Aug.  16,  1879,  he  was 
appointed  deputy  sheriff  of  Plymouth  county 
under  Sheriff  A.  B.  Harmon,  and  continued 
to  hold  that  commission  until  he  was  elected 
high  sheriff  of  Plymouth  county.  In  1883  he 
was  appointed  court  officer  of  the  county,  which 
office  he  still  retains.  In  1883,  1884  and  1885 
he  represented  Ward  Two  as  a  member  of  the 
common  council,  and  in  1886  was  a  member  of 
the  board  of  aldermen  of  his  native  city;  notice 
of  Alderman  H.  S.  Porter's  refusal  to  continue 
in  public  office  appeared  in  the  Enterprise  of 
Nov.  20,  1886.  In  1901  Mr.  Porter  was  elected 
high  sheriff  of  Plymouth  county,  receiving  a 
very  large  majority  vote,  carrying  every  ward 
in  his  native  town,  and  twenty-three  of  the 
twenty-seven  towns  in  the  county,  and  at  each 
subsequent  election  has  been  elected  to  the  same 
office  by  large  majorities,  having  filled  the 
office  with  honor  to  himself  and  to  the  satis- 
faction of  his  constituents. 

Fraternally   Sheriff   Porter   is   a   prominent 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


631 


member  of  the  Masonic  organization,  holding 
membership  in  Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.,  Satucket  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Bay  State 
Commandery,  Knights  Templar,  of  Brockton, 
being  a  life  member  of  the  two  former  bodies. 
He  was  also  a  charter  member  of  Banner  Lodge, 
No.  81,  New  England  Order  of  Protection,  of 
Brockton,  and  is  a  member  of  Brockton  Lodge, 
No.  218,  Knights  of  Honor,  of  Brockton.  While 
a  resident  of  his  native  city  he  was  also  an 
active  member  of  the  Commercial  Club,  which 
numbers  among  its  membership  the  leading 
business  and  professional  men  of  the  communi- 
ty. Upon  becoming  high  sheriS  of  the  county 
Mr.  Porter  took  up  his  residence  at  Plymouth, 
where  he  and  Mrs.  Porter  are  prominent  in 
tlie  social  affairs  of  the  town  as  they  were  in 
Brockton,  being  well  and  favorably  known  in 
both  places. 

On  Nov.  19,  1873,  Sheriff  Porter  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Laura  Jane  Hall,  daughter  of 
David  S.  and  Mary  (Partridge)  Hall,  of  Dux- 
bury,  who  is  also  a  descendant  of  early  New 
England  ancestry,  being  a  direct  descendant 
in  the  seventh  generation  from  Miles  Standish. 
This  union  has  been  blessed  with  one  daughter, 
Laura  Louise,  who  is  the  wife  of  Earl  P.  Blake, 
of  Brockton,  one  of  the  deputy  sheriffs  of  Ply- 
mouth county. 

COPELAND.  The  family  bearing  this 
name  is  a  time-honored  one  in  this  Common- 
wealth, and  has  had  numbered  among  its  mem- 
bers worthy  representatives  in  the  business 
world  as  well  as  in  good  citizenship.  This  arti- 
cle is  to  particularly  treat  of  that  branch  of  the 
family  through  which  descended  the  late  Fran- 
cis Copeland,  and  his  sons,  Ira  Copeland,  Davis 
Copeland  and  the  late  Heman  Copeland,  all  of 
whom  have  been  honored  and  respected  citizens 
of  the  communities  in  which  their  lives  and  en- 
ergies have  been  spent.  The  history  of  this 
branch  of  the  Copeland  family,  given  in  chron- 
ological order,  beginning  with  the  first  Ameri- 
can ancestor,  follows. 

(I)  Lawrence  Copeland  came  to  America 
and  settled  at  Braintree,  Mass.  It  is  supposed 
that  he  was  a  sailor.  He  married  12th  day, 
10th  month,  1651,  Lydia  Townsend,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Hibbins,  of  Boston,  performing  the  cere- 
mony. To  this  union  were  born  children  as 
follows:  Thomas,  bom  in  1652  (who  died  in 
infancy);  Thomas  (2),  1654;  William,  1656; 
John,  1658;  Lydia,  1661;  Ephraim,  1665; 
Hannah,  1668 ;  Richard,  1672  (died  same  day) ; 
and  Abigail,  1674. 

(II)  William  Copeland,  son  of  Lawrence, 
was  born  15th  day,  9th  month,  1656,  in  Brain- 
tree,  Mass.,  and  there  died  Oct.  30,  1716.    In 


his  wdll  he  called  himself  "husbandman."  On 
April  13,  1694,  he  married  Mary  Bass,  widow 
of  Christopher  Webb,  Jr.,  and  daughter  of 
John  and  Ruth  (Alden)  Bass.  Their  children 
were:  William,  born  March  7,  1695;  Ephraim, 
Feb.  1,  1697;  Ebenezer,  Feb.  16,  1698;  Jona- 
than, Aug.  31,  1701;  David,  April  15,  1704; 
Joseph,  May  18,  1706;  Benjamin,  Oct.  5,  1708; 
Moses,  May  28,  1710;  and  Mary,  May  28,  1713. 

(III)  Jonathan  Copeland,  son  of  William, 
was  born  Aug.  31,  1701,  in  Braintree,  Mass., 
and  settled  in  Bridgewater,  where  he  died  Sept. 
11,  1790.  He  was  a  farmer  and  tanner  and 
currier,  and  tradition  says  his  tannery  was  in 
West  Bridgewater.  On  Jan.  14,  1723,  he  mar- 
ried Betty  Snell,  daughter  of  Thomas  Snell,  Jr., 
of  Bridgewater,  and  their  children  were:  Abi- 
gail, born  Dec.  9,  1724;  Betty,  April  17,  1726 
(died  June  14,  1750) ;  Jonathan,  Jr.,  Aug.  9, 
1728;  Mary,  March  26,  1731;  Joseph,  April 
28,  1734;  Hannah,  May  13,  1737;  Elijah,  June 
3,  1739 ;  Daniel,  Sept.  13,  1741 ;  Sarah,  Feb.  13, 
1744-45;  Ebenezer,  July  27,  1746;  and  Betty 
(2),  Sept.  23,  1750. 

(IV)  Jonathan  Copeland,  Jr.,  son  of  Jona- 
than, was  bom  Aug.  9,  1728,  in  Bridgewater, 
and  died  Nov.  16,  1820,  in  the  ninety-third 
year  of  his  age,  in  West  Bridgewater.  He  was 
a  farmer,  and  also  a  tanner  and  currier,  con- 
tinuing the  latter  business  as  founded  by  his 
father.  On  May  22,  1754,  he  married  Mehit- 
able  Dunbar,  daughter  of  Samuel  and-Melatiah 
(Hayward)  Dunbar,  of  Bridgewater.  She  died 
Oct.  4,  1827,  in  the  ninety-second  year  of  her 
age.  To  this  union  were  born  children  as 
follows:  Jonathan,  born  April  30,  1755;  Me- 
hitable,  Aug.  19,  1757;  Sarah.  Dec.  18,  1759; 
Asa,  Aug.  4,  1762;  Caleb,  Aug.  6,  1764;  Eph- 
raim, June  8,  1767 ;  Betty,  Feb.  27,  1770  (died 
in  infancy) ;  and  Mary  (or  Polly)  and  Martha, 
twins,  Aug.  7,  1772,  the  former  dying  in  in- 
fancy, and  Martha  dying  Oct.  8,  1853. 

(V)  Asa  Copeland,  son  of  Jonathan,  Jr., 
was  born  Aug.  4,  1762,  in  West  Bridgewater, 
where  he  died  March  26,  1852,  in  the  ninetieth 
year  of  his  age.  He  was  engaged  in  farming 
during  his  active  life,  and  kept  house  over  sixty 
years  in  the  same  house  where  now  lives  his 
grandson,  Davis  Copeland.  On  Feb.  8,  1792, 
he  married  Persia  Howard,  who  was  born  Feb. 
9,  1772,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
Howard,  and  died  Jan.  21,  1851.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Albert,  bom  Jan.  28,  1793,  a  farm- 
er and  wheelwright,  died  in  West  Bridgewater ; 
Azel  Howard,  born  Oct.  30,  1795,  a  farmer  and 
carpenter,  died  in  West  Bridgewater;  Asa,  Jr., 
born  May  20,  1799,  a  farmer  and  blacksmith, 
died  in  Bridgewater;  Francis  was  born  Dec. 
31,  1803, 


632 


SOUTHEASTEKN  MASSACHUSETTS 


(VI)  Francis  Copeland,  youngest  son  of  Asa 
and  Persia  (Howard),  born  Dec.  31,  1803,  in 
West  Bridgewater,  in  the  same  house  where 
now  lives  his  sou,  Davis,  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  his  ancestors,  and  during  his  life  was 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  an 
industrious  man,  and  as  a  citizen  commanded 
the  respect  of  the  community  in  which  his  long 
life  was  spent.  In  his  political  faith  he  was 
a  Democrat  of  the  old  school,  and  took  an  ac- 
tive interest  in  the  affairs  of  his  native  town, 
holding  some  minor  offices.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  active  members  of  the  Church  of 
the  New  Jerusalem  at  Brockton,  he  having 
been  one  of  the  early  members  of  the  same 
society  in  West  Bridgewater.  Mr.  Copeland 
died  Dec.  17,  1882,  aged  nearly  seventy-nine 
years,  in  West  Bridgewater,  where  he  is  buried 
in  the  Pine  Hill  cemetery.  On  Nov.  8,  1830, 
he  married  Judith  Washburn  Kingman,  born 
Nov.  15,  1809,  daughter  of  Seth  and  Judith 
(Washburn)  Kingman,  of  North  Bridgewater, 
and  a  direct  descendant  of  Henry  Kingman, 
who  came  from  Wales  in  1632  to  this  country, 
settling  at  Weymouth,  Mass.,  where  he  became 
an  early  and  prominent  resident  of  that  town, 
her  line  of  descent  being  through  (II)  John 
and  Elizabeth  Kingman;  (III)  Henry  and 
Bethiah  (Howard)  Kingman;  (IV)  Henry  and 
Mary  (Allen)  Kingman;  and  (V)  Seth  and 
Judith  (Washburn)  Kingman.  Seth  Kingman, 
her  father,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Kevolutionary 
war,  being  a  member  of  Capt.  Nathan  Pack- 
ard's company.  Col.  Eliphalet  Cary's  regiment, 
which  marched  on  account  of  the  alarm  of 
Rhode  Island  July  22,  1780,  by  order  of  the 
council  of  North  Bridgewater;  he  married  Ju- 
dith Washburn,  born  in  1771,  daughter  of 
Jabez  Washburn.  Mrs.  Copeland  died  in  West 
Bridgewater  Feb.  1,  1876,  in  the  sixty-seventh 
year  of  her  age,  and  is  buried  at  the  side  of 
her  husband  in  Pine  Hill  cemetery.  To  Fran- 
cis and  Judith  Washburn  (Kingman)  Cope- 
land were  born  the  following  children:  Ira, 
born  Nov.  14,  i83J,  married  Caroline  F.  Eeed, 
of  Abington,  Mass.;  Davis,  born  March  16, 
1835,  married  Sarah  S.  Wade;  Lucy,  bom 
April  27,  1839,  died  unmarried  in  1899;  and 
Heman,  born  Dec.  30,  1843,  who  died  July 
26,  1909,  in  Chula  Vista,  Cal.,  married  Caro- 
line A.  Parker,  of  Mattapoisett,  Massachusetts. 

(VII)  Ira  Copeland,  inventor  and  real  es- 
tate dealer,  formerly  of  Brockton,  Plymouth 
county,  now  residing  at  Newton  Highlands, 
Mass.,  was  born  Nov.  14,  1831,  in  West  Bridge- 
water  (now  a  part  of  the  city  of  Brockton), 
eldest  son   of   Francis   and  Judith  Washburn 


(Kingman)  Copeland.  Mr.  Copeland  was  edu- 
cated in  the  schools  of  his  native  town  and  in 
the  State  normal  school  at  Bridgewater,  which 
in  his  day  was  under  the  principalship  of 
Nicholas  Tillinghast;  he  graduated  from  that 
institution  in  the  year  1850.  For  several  years 
following  Mr.  Copeland  was  engaged  in  teach- 
ing, principally  at  East  Bridgewater,  West 
Bridgewater,  Foxboro,  Abington  and  Fall 
River,  teaching  the  grammar  school  at  the  lat- 
ter place,  eventually  retiring  from  that  profes- 
sion on  account  of  ill  health.  Returning  to  the 
homestead  in  West  Bridgewater,  he  engaged  in 
farming  for  a  time,  in  1857  engaging  in  the 
grocery  business  in  the  town  of  North  Bridge- 
water  (now  the  city  of  Brockton),  which  then 
boasted  a  population  of  but  3,000,  his  place 
of  business  being  located  on  the  East  side  of 
the  town.  He  was  in  business  there  for  a  per- 
iod of  forty  years,  with  continuous  success, 
during  which  time  he  saw  the  little  town  ex- 
pand and  develop  until  its  population  exceeded 
50,000.  Meantime  he_also  engaged  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  in  the  cultivation  of  fruit,  in 
which  he  found  both  pleasure  and  profit.  By 
strict  attention  to  the  demands  of  his  trade 
he  prospered,  and  as  he  accumulated  means 
acquired  real  estate  interests  in  the  city,  which 
he  still  holds.  Closing  out  his  grocery  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Copeland  in  1897  moved  his  family 
to  Newton  Highlands,  Middlesex  Co.,  Mass., 
where  he  resides  in  a  beautiful  home  on  an 
elevation  which  commands  a  fine  view  of  the 
surrounding  country. 

Though  an  adtive  business  man  for  so  many 
years  Mr.  Copeland  found  time  to  follow  his 
inventive  inclinations  and  develop  his  faculties 
along  that  line,  with  gratifying  results.  In 
about  1866  he  perfected  a  system  of  cipher  cor- 
respondence which  is  still  a  secret,  and  which 
though  simple  was  one  impossible  to  translate 
without  the  key  by  which  it  was  produced.  On 
Jan.  14,  1868,  he  invented  and  had  patented 
a  fruit  box  and  packer,  and  in  1870  he  invented 
a  horse  hoe  which  he  also  patented.  In  1878 
he  invented  and  patented  a  wringer,  upon 
which  he  made  an  improvement  the  following 
year.  In  1887  he  patented  the  improved  wire 
nail.  In  1903  he  devised  a  method  of  fasten- 
ing rails,  and  in  1904  invented  a  railroad 
spike,  which  he  had  patented,  also  receiving  a 
patent  known  as  a  method  of  spiking.  In 
1887  he  patented  a  cement  coated  vrire  nail, 
which  he  had  patented  and  which  proved  the 
most  successful  of  all  his  inventions  and  of 
which  millions  of  dollars'  worth  are  now  sold 
annually;  in  1900  he  invented  an  apparatus 
for  cement  coating  and  packing  nails,  which  he 


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ayj^ci 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


633 


also  patented.-  A  number  of  other  useful  arti- 
cles are  included  in  the  list  of  the  contrivances 
he  has  produced,  several  of  which  have  proved 
particularly  beneficial  to  those  who  employ 
them. 

Wliile  a  resident  of  Brockton  Mr.  Copeland 
was  quite  active  in  the  administration  of  mu- 
nicipal affairs.  He  is  a  Democrat,  but  inde- 
pendent in  action  and  a  firm  supporter  of  the 
doctrines  of  Henry  George,  believing  ardently 
in  the  single  tax  tenets.  Particularly  inter- 
ested in  the  cause  of  public  education  in  his 
home  community,  he  served  six  years  on  the 
school  board.  He  was  a  member  of  the  board 
of  assessors  of  Brockton  in  1881  and  1882. 
He  takes  great  pride  in  the  present  city  of 
Brockton,  now  numbering  nearly  sixty  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  and  it  was  he  who  suggested 
the  name  Brockton  when  the  renaming  of 
North  Bridgewater  was  being  discussed,  after 
the  town  of  Brockton,  in  Ontario.  The  name 
was  adopted  after  due  consideration  by  the 
Board  of  Trade,  of  which  he  was  secretary  at 
that  time.  Mr.  Copeland  was  also  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  old  Board  of  Trade  of  the 
town  of  North  Bridgewater  and  served  as  its 
secretary  during  its  existence.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  North  Bridgewater  Agricultural  So- 
ciety and  served  as  its  first  secretary,  contin- 
uing in  that  capacity  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
five  years,  until  he  removed  to  Newton  High- 
lands, and  being  succeeded  in  that  position  by 
the  late  Baalis  Sanford.  In  1886  he  was  the 
prime  mover  in  obtaining  a  franchise  for  the 
East  Side  Electric  Railway  of  Brockton,  which 
had  a  trackage  of  about  four  and  a  half  miles. 
Of  this  corporation  he  was  vice  president,  and 
acting  president,  until  capitalistic  influences 
obtained  a  controlling  interest  in  its  capital 
stock.  This  was  the  first  electric  railway  fran- 
chise granted  in  Massachusetts  and,  he  believes, 
in  New  England.  It  was  the  initial  step  in 
making  Brockton  a  great  electric  railway  cen- 
ter. Although  it  is  not  generally  known,  Mr. 
Copeland  was  also  the  prime  mover  in  causing 
the  Old  Colony  Railroad  Corporation  to  elim- 
inate its  grade  crossings  throughout  the  city, 
which  was  done  at  an  estimated  cost  of 
$1,800,000. 

On  Dec.  1,  1853,  Mr.  Copeland  was  married, 
in  Abington,  Mass.,  to  Caroline  F.  Reed,  a  na- 
tive of  Abington,  daughter  of  Noah  and  Mary 
Reed,  and  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest  and 
bast  known  families  of  that  section  of  the  State 
of  Massachusetts.  Three  children  were  born 
to  them :  Mary  C. ;  Helen  L.,  who  died  in  her 
twenty-second  year;  and  Marion  K.,  the  sur- 
viving daughters   residing   with   their   parents 


in  the  comfortable  family  home  at  Newton 
Highlands.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Copeland  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem  at 
Abington,  Massachusetts. 

(VII)  Davis  Copelanb,  one  of  the  success- 
ful agriculturists  of  the  community  in  which 
his  long  and  industrious  life  has  been  spent, 
was  born  March  16,  1835,  in  West  Bridge- 
water,  in  that  part  of  the  town  which  has  since 
been  annexed  to  the  city  of  Brockton,  and  in 
the  same  house  on  Copeland  street,  which  was 
named  for  his  family,  in  which  he  has 
resided  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He  is  the 
second  son  of  Francis  and  Judith  Washburn 
(Kingman)  Copeland.  Until  eighteen  years  of 
age  his  winters  were  spent  in  acquiring  his 
education  in  the  district  school,  while  his  sum- 
mers were  devoted  to  work  on  the  homestead 
farm.  After  leaving  school  he  continued  farm- 
ing, and  since  his  father's  death  has  success- 
fully conducted  the  homestead  of  100  acres. 
Being  of  an  industrious  and  .painstaking  nature 
he  keeps  his  place  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
For  the  past  twenty-five  or  more  years  he  has 
been  extensively  engaged  in  market  gardening, 
supplying  his  patrons  in  Brockton  with  pro- 
duce. 

Mr.  Copeland  and  his  family  are  active  and 
consistent  members  of  the  Church  of  the  New 
Jerusalem,  at  Brockton,  Mr.  Copeland  having 
served  as  a  member  of  the  standing  committee 
and  on  the  church  council.  Fraternally  he 
was  a  charter  member  of  Howard  Lodge,  No. 
116,  Knights  of  Pythias,  of  West  Bridgewater, 
and  also  a  charter  member  of  the  West  Bridge- 
water  Grange,  No.  156,  Patrons  of  Husbandry. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
Brockton  Agricultural  Society,  and  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Bridgewater  Historical  Society. 
In  his  political  faith  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  for 
a  number  of  years  before  becoming  a  resident 
of  Brockton  took  an  active  interest  in  the  af- 
fairs of  his  native  town,  having  served  for  five 
years  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  road  com- 
missioners, for  nine  years  as  a  member  of 
the  school  committee  and  for  a  term  of  four 
years  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  selectmen 
of  West  Bridgewater. 

On  Dec.  8,  1863,  Mr.  Copeland  married 
Sarah  Samantha  Wade,  daughter  of  Charles 
Thomas  and  Samantha  (White)  Wade,  of 
Easton,  Mass.  Mrs.  Copeland  is  also  a  de- 
scendant of  historic  New  England  ancestry,  as 
well  as  of  Revolutionary  stock.  Her  grand- 
father, Thomas  Wade,  married  Silence  Phil- 
lips, daughter  of  Oliver  Phillips,  the  latter  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Copeland  were  born  children  as  follows:   (1) 


634 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Lida  Wade,  born  May  7,  18G6,  is  unmarried 
and  living  at  home.  (2)  Arthur  Davis,  born 
April  4,  1869,  was  educated  in  the  public  and 
high  schools  of  West  Bridgewater,  after  which 
he  entered  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Col- 
lege at  Amherst,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  1889.  He  was  for  several  years  engaged  in 
the  florist  business,  and  later  in  the  hay,  grain 
and  feed  business  in  Brockton,  and  died  in 
Forest  Hills,  Mass.,  at  Dr.  Emerson's  private 
hospital,  Sept.  3,  1907.  For  several  years  prior 
to  his  death  he  was  a  trustee  and  treasurer  of 
Howard  Seminary,  of  West  Bridgewater.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  various  Masonic  bodies, 
holding  membership  in  Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A. 
F.  &  A.  M.;  Satucket  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.;  and 
Bay  State  Commandery,  Knights  Templar,  of 
Brockton.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  held  mem- 
bership in  the  Commercial  Club,  of  Brockton, 
and  in  the  West  Bridgewater  Grange,  No.  156, 
Patrons  of  Husbandry.  He  married  July  6, 
1898,  Jessie  Janet  Lothrop,  daughter  of  Edwin 
H.  Lothrop,  of  West  Bridgewater,  and  they 
had  a  son,  Dwight  Lothrop  Copeland,  born 
Aug.  16,  1899. 

(VII)  Heman  Copeland,  the  youngest  son 
of  the  late  Francis  and  Judith  Washburn 
(Kingman)  Copeland,  was  bom  Dec.  30,  1843, 
in  that  part  of  West  Bridgewater  which  has 
since  become  a  part  of  the  city  of  Brockton, 
Mass.,  in  the  house  which  adjoins  the  old 
Copeland  homestead,  the  latter  now  occupied 
by  his  brother,  Davis  Copeland.  He  acquired 
his  educational  training  in  the  district  schools, 
later  attending  Hunt's  Academy  at  North 
Bridgewater  and  also  the  State  normal  school 
at  Bridgewater.  After  completing  the  course 
at  the  State  normal  he  engaged  in  teaching 
school  for  several  terms,  both  in  Duxbury  and 
in  his  native  town.  Having  been  reared  on 
the  farm  he  naturally  drifted  toward  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  and  after  teaching  school  for 
several  terms  he  in  1868  purchased  the  Nahum 
Snell  farm,  of  about  fifty-five  acres,  better 
known  as  the  Brooks  farm,  near  his  old  home- 
stead, later  purchasing  the  Molbry  Ripley 
farm,  of  about  twenty-six  acres,  near  by.  Upon 
this  land  Mr.  Copeland  engaged  extensively  in 
market  gardening,  greatly  improving  the  same, 
which  became  recognized  as  one  of  the  most 
iip-to-date  market  gardens  in  this  section  of 
the  State.  His  health  failing,  Mr.  Copeland 
eventually  sold  this  property,  and  shortly 
thereafter,  in  July,  1886,  removed  to  Cali- 
fornia, remaining  in  Riverside  a  few  months 
and  going  to  San  Diego  in  November,  1886. 
Soon   after   settling  in   California  his  health 


showed  improvement.  Mr.  Copeland  then  en- 
gaged in  fruit  growing,  at  his  death  having 
about  seventy  acres  of  land,  devoted  to  the 
growing  of  lemons,  at  Chula  Vista.  Being 
naturally  adapted  to  this  industry  through  his 
many  years'  experience  in  market  gardening 
in  the  East,  he  had  fruit  growing  developed  to 
a  science.  He  raised  oranges,  citrons,  grape 
fruit  and  lemons,  but  devoted  the  greater  part 
of  his  endeavors  to  the  lemon  industry,  his 
lemon  orchards  being  recognized  as  the  finest 
and  most  productive  in  that  section  of  Cali- 
fornia. Mr.  Copeland  continued  thus  engaged 
until  July,  1894,  when  he  became  horticul- 
tural superintendent  for  the  San  Diego  Land 
and  Town  Company,  a  corporation  which 
owns  and  operates  thousands  of  acres  of  land. 
In  this  capacity  he  had  charge  of  the  orchards 
of  this  concern,  covering  an  area  of  over 
twelve  hundred  acres  and  having  under  his 
supervision  about  one  hundred  men.  After 
filling  this  position  with  pronounced  efficiency 
for  a  period  covering  nearly  thirteen  years  his 
health  again  became  impaired,  and  he  was 
compelled  to  relinquish  the  active  management 
of  this  corporation's  affairs,  at  which  time  he 
was  made  advisory  superintendent  of  this  same 
corporation,  a  position  he  occupied  until  about 
a  year  prior  to  his  death,  when  he  retired  from 
active  business  cares. 

Mr.  Copeland's  thorough  knowledge  of  fruit 
culture  caused  him  to  be  recognized  as  a  lead- 
ing authority  on  that  subject  and  he  was  con- 
sulted on  all  matters  of  citrus  fruit  culture 
by  growers  in  all  parts  of  southern  California, 
and  as  advisory  member  of  the  State  Board 
of  Horticultural  Commissioners  did  valuable 
work  for  the  citrus  fruit  industry.  Among 
his  friends  and  admirers  were  practically  all 
the  prominent  San  Diegans  of  long  residence, 
and  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce  of  San  Diego  county  said  of  him 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  "In  the  death  of 
Heman  Copeland  San  Diego  has  sustained  a 
great  loss.  Besides  being  recognized  as  one 
of  the  greatest  authorities  on  lemon  culture, 
Mr.  Copeland  was  also  a  great  optimist,  and 
preached  San  Diego  county  and  its  future 
wherever  he  went.  He  had  especial  faith  in 
the  lemon  industry  and  inspired  many  others 
with  it.  Mr.  Copeland  was  in  every  respect 
a  model  citizen  and  was  abreast  of  the  times 
in  everything  pertaining  to  the  public  wel- 
fare, being  a  leader  in  business,  political  apd 
public  afilairs  of  the  county.  He  was  one  of 
thife  most  genuinely  kind-hearted  and  charitable 
men  I  ever  met." 

Fraternally  Mr.  Copeland  was  a  prominent 


90  b: 


c^L^-C-Oi^-XA---^^^ 


SOUTHEASTEKN  MASSACHUSETTS 


635 


Mason,  of  high  rank.  He  first  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  organization  in  Brockton,  where  he 
joined  Paul  Revere  Lodge  in  1868,  and  after 
removing  to  California  transferred  his  mem- 
bership to  South  West  Lodge,  No.  383,  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.,  of  National  City.  He  was  also  a 
member  of  San  Diego  Commandery,  No.  25, 
Knights  Templar,  of  San  Diego,  and  of  Con- 
stans  Lodge  of  Perfection,  No.  8,  and  the 
other  bodies  of  the  order  in  San  Diego,  attain- 
ing the  thirty-second  degree.  He  was  also  a 
member  of  Al  Malaikah  Temple,  A.  A.  0.  N. 
M.  S.,  of  Los  Angeles,  being  an  active  and 
prominent  member  of  all  these  organizations. 

Mr.  Copeland  was  a  consistent  member  of 
the  Christian  Science  Church,  of  San  Diego, 
of  which  his  wife  is  also  a  member,  and  to 
which  they  have  given  a  liberal  support.  In 
politics  he  was  an  advocate  of  Democratic 
principles,  but  during  the  silver  agitation,  in 
1896,  he  did  not  favor  the  free  coinage  of  sil- 
ver, and  thereafter  became  independent  in  his 
political  views,  and  although  he  was  always 
deeply  interested  in  public  affairs  he  never 
aspired  to  public  office,  preferring  to  give  his 
undivided  attention  to  his  business  affairs. 

On  April  12,  1866,  Mr.  Copeland  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Caroline  A.  Parker, 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  D.  and  Mary  Ann  (Dex- 
ter) Parker,  of  Mattapoisett,  Mass.,  and  a  de- 
scendant of  historic  old  New  England  ances- 
try. Mrs.  Copeland  survives  her  husband,' 
making  her  home  in  Chula  Vista,  Cal.  They 
had  no  cliildren. 

Mr.  Copeland  passed  away  at  his  home  in 
Chula  Vista,  Cal.,  July  26,  1909,  in  the  sixty- 
sixth  year  of  his  age,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  various  organizations  with  which  he  had 
been  prominently  identified  adopted  resolutions 
of  respect  on  his  demise,  among  which  were 
the  following: 

Whereas,  it  has  pleased  our  Heavenly  Father  to 
take  to  Himself  the  soul  of  our  respected  friend, 
Heman  Copeland,  chairman  of  the  board  of  horticul- 
tural commissioners,  who  for  so  many  years  success- 
fully devoted  his  energies  and  ability  to  horticulture 
in  this  county,  and  during  our  darkest  days  never 
lost  faith  in  the  great  future  awaiting  persistent 
ranchers  here,  and  who,  as  advisory  horticultural 
commissioner  so  faithfully  performed  his  duties,  and 

WiTEREAS,  we  look  upon  his  loss  as  one  of  the 
greatest  that  ever  befell  our  county,  therefore  be  it* 

Resolved,  that  we,  the  supervisors  of  San  Diego 
county,  extend  to  the  widow  and  relatives  of  the 
deceased  our  heartfelt  sympathy  with  them,  in  this, 
their  bereavement,  and  furthermore  be  it 

Resolved,  that  a  copy  of  this  preamble  and  resolu- 
tion be  sent  to  the  widow  and  spread  upon  the  minutes 
of  this  meeting. 


The  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  San  Diego  County. 
San  Diego,  Cal.,  August  12,  1909. 
Mrs.  Caroline  Copeland, 
Chula  Vista,  California. 

Dear  Madam:  I  am  instructed  by  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  San  Diego 
County  to  convey  to  you  their  sincere  regret  over  the 
loss  of  your  husband. 

Mr.  Copeland  was  recognized  by  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce  as  one  of  the  representative  men  of  South- 
ern California.  His  faith  in  the  ultimate  greatness 
of  this  section  never  wavered,  and  while  he  did  not 
survive  to  see  the  fruition  of  his  hopes  yet  his  life 
was  spared  to  witness  the  beginning  of  the  great 
things  he  saw  and  prophesied  for  the  future. 

Southern  California  and  San  Diego  County  in 
particular  has  sustained  a  great  loss  in  the  death 
of  your  husband.  He  is  missed  from  our  councils  and 
is  mourned  by  us,  for  we  have  lost  not  only  a  trust- 
worthy adviser,  but  a  firm  and  steadfast  friend. 

With  renewed  assurance  of  our  sympathy,  I  beg 
to  remain, 

Sincerely  yours, 
[Signed]     John  S.  Mms, 

Secretary. 

Asylum  of 
,  San  Diego  Commandery,  No.  25, 

Knights  Templar. 

San  Diego,  Cal.,  August  6th,  1909. 

At  stated  Assembly  of  San  Diego  Commandery, 
No.  25,  Knights  Templar,  held  at  its  Asylum  on  Au- 
gust 3d,  1909,  the  death  of  Sir  Heman  Copeland,  on 
July  26th,  1909,  was  announced; 

Whereupon  a  committee  of  three  was  appointed 
to  voice  the  sentiments  of  the  Commandery  on  this 
sad  event,  who  reported  the  follo^ving  resolutions: — 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Sir  Heman  Cope- 
land this  Commandery  has  lost  a  faithful,  worthy  and 
respected  member,  whose  absence  will  be  regretted 
as  the  years  go  by; 

That  to  his  widow,  C.  A.  Copeland,  and  family  is 
extended  our  sincere  sympathy  and  regret  and  wth 
her  and  them  we  will  join  in  proper  service  which 
may  be  rendered  to  better  bear  this  bereavement,  ever 
trusting  in  the  great  love  of  the  Nazarene,  our  Guide 
and  Leader  in  the  true  path  to  go  and  do ; 

Further,  that  a  copy  hereof  be  spread  upon  the 
records  and  an  attested  copy  be  forwarded  to  his 
widow. 

George  Bubnham, 
William  Kettneb, 
George  Mifflin  Dannals, 

Committee. 
In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  attached  the 
seal  and  my  signature,  the  day  and  date  above  writ- 
ten. 

[Signed]     Jno.  P.  Bubt, 
[SE-^]  Recorder. 

BENT  (Taunton  family).  For  some  fifty 
years  there  has  resided  at  Taunton  a  branch  of 
the  ancient  Sudbury-Milton  (Massachusetts) 
Bent  family,  one  established  there  approxi- 
mately two  hundred  and  seventy-one  years  ago. 
Reference  is  made  to  the  family  of  the  present 
William  H.  Bent,  Esq.,  of  that  city,  who  for 
quite  half  a  century  has  been  continuously  iden- 
tified with  what  is  now  the  Mason  Machine 


636 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Works  and  much  of  the  time  officially,  and  as 
well  is,  as  he  has  long  been,  one  of  the  substan- 
tial men  and  useful  citizens  of  Taunton,  serving 
his  community  in  a  number  of  public  official 
capacities.  His  son,  Arthur  Cleveland  Bent,  a 
graduate  of  Harvard  and  now  general  manager 
of  the  Mason  Machine  Works,  has  served  his 
city  as  alderman;  another  son,  Frederick  Hen- 
dee  Bent,  after  his  graduation  from  Harvard, 
in  1889,  entered  the  Mason  Macliine  Works, 
and  died  in  1897. 

(I)  John  Bent,  a  native  of  England,  born 
in  the  parish  of  Penton-Grafton,  in  the  County 
of  Hants,  some  seventy  miles  southwest  of  Lon- 
don, sailed  from  Southampton,  England,  in 
1638,  and  became  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Sudbury,  Mass.  Mr.  Bent  was  baptized  Nov. 
20,  1596,  in  the  parish  of  Waybill.  He  was 
the  son  of  Eobert  Bent  and  grandson  of  John 
Bent.  The  Christian  name  of  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Bent  was  Martha,  and  five  of  their  seven  chil- 
dren were  bom  in  England,  the  other  two 
in  Sudbury.  Their  children  were:  Eobert, 
baptized  Jan.  10,  1624-25;  William,  baptized 
Oct.  24,  1626;  Peter,  baptized  April  14,  1629; 
Agnes,  born  about'  1630;  John,  born  about 
1635;  Joseph,  born  May  16,  1641;  and  Martha, 
born  about  1643. 

The  house  lot  of  Mr.  Bent,  which  comprised 
some  six  acres,  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  Wayland  Center,  and  upon  it  he  lived, 
a  farmer,  until  his  death,  Sept.  27,  1672,  when 
aged  nearly  seventy-six  years. 

(II)  Joseph  Bent,  born  May  16,  1641,  in 
Sudbury,  Mass.,  married  June  30,  1666,  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  John  Bourne,  of  Marshfield, 
and  moved  thither,  but  returned  to  Sudbury  be- 
fore 1671,  and  was  killed  accidentally  in  the 
summer  of  1675  by  a  pistol  shot  fired  by  his 
brother  Peter.  While  at  Marshfield  he  was  con- 
stable in  1669.  Five  of  his  six  children  were  liv- 
ing in  1686,  though  the  names  of  his  two 
daughters  are  unknown.  The  children  of  Jos- 
eph and  Elizabeth  whose  names  are  known,  the 
youngest  two  being  born  in  Sudbury,  were : 
Joseph,  born  Oct.  11,  1667;  Experience;  Eliza- 
beth, born  in  1673 ;  and  Joseph  (2),  bom  March 
5,  1675. 

(III)  Joseph  Bent  (2),  bom  March  5,  1675, 
married  Oct.  27,  1698,  Eachel,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  Fuller,  of  Dedham:  Mr.  Bent  was 
brought  up  in  Marshfield  by  his  grandfather, 
John  Bourne.  He  was  a  blacksmith,  and  after 
his  marriage  lived  in  Milton,  Mass.,  where  he 
died  March  31,  1728,  aged  fifty-three  years. 
His  wife  died  July  5,  1725,  aged  fifty-one. 
Their  children  were:  Mary,  bom  Jan.  21, 
1700;  Joseph,  born  Sept.  26,  1701;  John,  born 


Oct.  15,  1703;  Eachel,  born  Aug.  21,  1705; 
Elizabeth,  born  Jan.  13,  1708;  Sarah,  born 
April  13,  1710;  Ebenezer,  born  April  23,  1712; 
Experience,  born  Oct.  12,  1714;  and  Thankful, 
born  July  5,  1716. 

(IV)  Ebenezer  Bent,  born  April  23,  1712, 
married  Jan.  9,  1735,  Deborah,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  Fairbanks,  of  Dedham,  Mass.  Mr. 
Bent  was  a  yeoman  of  Milton,  Mass.,  where  he 
died  Feb.  15,  1786,  aged  seventy-three.  His 
widow  died  Aug.  17,  1798,  at  Quincy,  Mass., 
aged  eighty-four.  Their  children,  all  born  in 
Milton,  Mass.,  were:  Eleanor,  born  Sept.  28, 
1735;  Ebenezer,  Aug.  22,  1737;  Samuel,  March 
1,  1739;  Nedabiah,  Jan.  21,  1742;  Mary,  Feb. 
1,  1744;  Jolin,  July  10,  1746;  Deborah,  July 
8,  1748;  Sarah,  March  24,  1751;  Elizabeth, 
April  13,  1754. 

(V)  Jolin  Bent,  born  July  10,  1746,  married 
Dec.  11,  1769,  Hannah  Collar  of  Dedham, 
Mass.,  and  lived  in  Milton.  Among  their  chil- 
dren was  a  son  Josiah. 

(VI)  Josiah  Bent,  son  of  John,  married 
Susannah  Tucker.  They  lived  in  Milton,  where 
Mr.  Bent  probably  built  what  is  characterized 
as  the  old  Bent  house.  It  was  in  this  house 
that  he  began  on  a  small  scale,  with  one  oven 
only  at  first,  the  baking  business  which  through 
the  century  has  been  popularly  known  as  Bent's 
cracker  bakery.  It  is  said  that  he  made  the 
first  water  crackers  in  this  country,  and  these 
long  after  his  day  were  continued  to  be  made 
by  hand  and  the  excellent  reputation  he  made 
from  them  maintained.  He  continued  the  busi- 
ness until  1830.  Among  his  children  were 
Josiah  and  Nathaniel  Tucker,  both  of  whom 
became  liberally  educated  and  were  successful 
in  the  learned  professions. 

(VII)  Eev.  Josiah  Bent  (2)  was  born  at 
Milton,  Mass.,  and  in  due  time  prepared  for 
college.  He  was  graduated  from  Harvard  with 
the  class  of  1822.  He  then  studied  theology 
at  Princeton  and  devoted  his  life  to  the  Chris- 
tian ministry.  He  settled  at  Weymouth,  Mass., 
where  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  First 
Church.  In  1834  he  became  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Falmouth,  Mass.  From  the  Fal- 
mouth charge  he  was  dismissed  in  1837  to  be- 
come pastor  of  the  church  at  Amherst,  where 
his  death  occurred  Nov.  19,  1839.  Eev.  Mr. 
Bent  married  Pauline  Eich. 

.  (VII)  Eev.  Nathaniel  Tucker  Bent,  son  of 
Josiah  and  Susannah  (Tucker)  Bent,  and 
brother  of  Eev.  Josiah,  was  bom  July  31,  1810, 
in  Milton,  Mass.  He  began  his  preparatory 
studies  for  admission  to  college  under  the  in- 
struction of  his  brother  Rev.  Josiah  Bent,  of 
Weymouth,  Mass.,  who  had  graduated  at  Har- 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


637 


vard  College  in  1832,  and  completed  them  at 
Phillips  Academy  in  Andover.  He  entered 
Harvard  and  held  a  distinguished  rank  in  col- 
lege, and  was  graduated  with  high  honors  with 
the  class  of  1831.  After  leaving  college  young 
Bent  began  the  study  of  divinity  at  the  Episco- 
pal Theological  Seminary  in  New  York  and 
finished  his  studies  under  the  instruction  of 
Bishop  Alexander  Viets  Griswold,  at  Salem. 
He  was  ordained  at  Salem,  and  was  afterward 
instituted  as  rector  over  the  following  churches : 
Grace  Church,  in  New  Bedford,  where  he  re- 
mained five  years:  St.  John's,  in  Charlestown, 
two  years ;  St.  Thomas's,  in  Taunton,  five  j'ears ; 
St.  John's,  in  Bangor,  Maine,  two  and  a  half 
years ;  All  Saints',  in  Worcester,  two  and  a  half 
years;  and  Grace  Church,  again,  in  New  Bed- 
ford, a  few  months.  He  retired  from  the  min- 
istry in  1853,  and  removed  to  Worcester,  Mass., 
where  he  taught  a  private  school  for  yoimg 
ladies,  which  he  continued  until  his  death. 

On  June  18,  1834,  Rev.  Mr.  Bent  was  mar- 
ried to  Catherine  E.  D.  Metcalf,  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Col.  Eliab  W.  Metcalf,  of  Cambridge, 
and  had  four  children  by  birth  and  one  by 
adoption ;  three  of  whom,  including  the  adopted 
one,  survived  the  father. 

"Mr.  Bent  was  a  man  of  rare  abilities,  and, 
when  engaged  in  the  active  duties  of  the  min- 
istry, was  very  popular  and  efficient  as  rector. 
Much  might  be  said  truly  in  praise  of  his 
fidelity  to  all  the  details  of  parochial  duty,  the 
interest  he  took  in  promoting  musical  taste 
in  its  sacred  department,  his  zeal  in  missionary 
enterprises,  and  the  genial  flow  which  he  mani- 
fested in  social  life.  Not  a  few  of  his  former 
parishioners  and  friends  will  long  cherish  a 
most  kindly  remembrance  of  him  as  a  beloved 
and  respected  pastor."  He  died  Nov.  4,  1856, 
at  his  home  in  Worcester,  Mass.,  aged  forty- 
six  years. 

(VIII)  William  H.  Bent,  son  of  Rev.  Na- 
thaniel T.  and  Catherine  E.  D.  (Metcalf)  Bent, 
was  born  Jan.  2,  1839,  in  Cambridge,  Mass. 
He  was  educated  in  private  and  public  schools 
and  fitted  for  civil  engineering.  When  he  was 
seventeen  years  old  (in  1856)  he  entered  the 
extensive  machinery  works  of  William  Mason, 
Taunton,  and  he  has  been  connected  with  them 
ever  since  except  for  a  short  time  after  the 
panic  of  1857,  when  that  business  was  tempo- 
rarily suspended.  Returning  in  1859,  he  grad- 
ually worked  up  to  the  position  of  chief  ex- 
ecutive officer  of  the  works,  assuming  such  po- 
sition at  the  death  of  Mr.  Mason,  in  May,  1883. 
In  1873,  when  the  business  was  incorporated 
under  the  name  of  the  Mason  Machine  Works, 
he  became  treasurer  of  the  corporation,  which 


office  he  has  held  uninterruptedly  until  the 
present  time.  The  corporation  employs  in  good 
times  about  one  thousand  men,  chiefly  in  build- 
ing cotton  machinery.  Mr.  Bent  has  been  and 
still  is  connected  with  numerous  other  large 
interests.  He  was  a  director  of  the  Corliss 
Steam  Engine  Company,  of  Providence,  R.  I.; 
director  of  the  Nemasket  Mills,  Taunton;  has 
been  for  many  years  and  now  is  director  of  the 
Boston  Manufacturers'  Mutual  Fire  Insurance 
Company;  director  of  the  Corr  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  Taunton;  director  of  the  Ma- 
chinists' iSTational  Bank  of  Taunton;  president 
of  the  Liberty  Square  Warehouse  Company  of 
Boston.  He  has  served  as  an  alderman  of 
Taunton  for  two  terms  (1877  and  1878)  and 
was  chairman  of  the  board  of  commissioners  of 
the  Sinking  Fund  of  the  city  for  twenty  years. 
Although  repeatedly  sought  he  has  declined 
political  offices  and  appointments  other  than 
municipal,  among  them  that  of  member  of 
the  special  commission  on  the  unemployed,  cre- 
ated by  the  Legislature  of  1894,  to  which  he 
was  appointed  by  Governor  Greenhalge.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  was  a  delegate 
to  the  Republican  National  Convention  of  1888, 
and  is  a  defender  of  protection,  a  frequent 
contributor  to  the  press  in  its  interests,  was 
president  of  the  Home  Market  Club  of  Boston 
for  three  years,  and  president  of  the  Arkwright 
Club,  of  Boston,  for  three  years.  In  religious 
faith  he  is  an  Episcopalian,  and  is  a  prominent 
lay  member  of  the  church  organization.  He  is- 
a  delegate  to  the  diocesan  convention  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  of  Massachusetts,  was,a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  of  fifteen  appointed  by 
Bishop  Laurence  in  1894  to  report  a  plan  for 
the  division  of  the  diocese,  a  member  of  the 
Episcopalian  Club  of  Massachusetts,  and  senior 
warden  of  St.  Thomas's  Episcopal  Church, 
Taunton,  for  many  years.  He  belongs  to  the 
Union  Club  of  Boston. 

On  June  14,  1865,  Mr.  Bent  was  married 
to  Harriet  F.  Hendee,  daughter  of  Charles 
J.  Hendee,  of  Boston.  They  had  three  sons, 
Arthur  Cleveland,  Frederick  Hendee  and 
Charles  (died  in  infancy).  The  two  sons  who 
lived  to  maturity  were  both  graduated  from 
Harvard  University  in  1889.  Mrs.  Bent  died 
in  1873,  and  Mr.  Bent  married  (second)  Jan. 
29,  1885,  Sarah  E.  Chesbrough,  daughter  of 
Lewis  R.  Chesbrough,  of  New  York. 


Metcalf.  The  Metcalf  family  to  which  Mr. 
Bent  belongs  through  the  maternal  line  is 
descended  from  Michael  Metcalf,  who  was  born 
in  Tatterford,  County  of  Norfolk,  England,  in 
1586.     He  followed  the  occupation  of  weaver 


638 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


in  the  city  of  Norwich,  that  county.  His  wife 
Sarah  was  born  June  17,  1593,  in  the  adjoin- 
ing town  of  Waynham,  where  they  were  mar- 
ried Oct.  13,  1616.  To  escape  religious  perse- 
cution he  took  passage  from  Yarmouth  to  New 
England  April  15,  1637.  He  arrived  "three 
days  before  midsummer,"  and  was  admitted 
a  townsman  at  Dedham  July  14,  1637. 

Michael  Metcalf,  third  child  of  Michael  and 
Sarah,  was  born  Aug.  29,  1620.  He  married 
April  2,  1644,  Mary  Fairbanks,  and  died  Dec. 
24,  1654. 

Eleazer  Metcalf,  fifth  child  of  Michael  and 
Mary,  was  born  March  20,  1653.  He  married 
April  9,  1684,  Melatia  Fisher. 

Michael  Metcalf,  second  child  of  Eleazer  and 
Melatia,  was  born  May  21,  1687,  and  married 
Abiel  Colburn. 

Pelatiah  Metcalf,  first  child  of  Michael  and 
Abiel,  married  Hepzibah  Mann.  He  died  April 
1,  1770,  and  she  died  Oct.  11,  1773. 

Thomas  Metcalf,  eighth  child  of  Pelatiah 
and  Hepzibah,  born  Aug.  13,  1749,  married 
Jan.  25,  1776,  Jemima  Ray,  who  was  born  Jan. 
8,  1756.  Thomas  Metcalf,  with  his  older 
brother,  Silas,  built  the  hip-roofed  house  which 
formerly  stood  on  the  farm  in  West  Wrentham 
in  the  year  1797.  They  occupied  the  house, 
and  carried  on  the  farm  in  partnership  for 
several  years,  until  Silas's  son  Lewis  took  his 
father's  share,  when  the  farm  was  divided. 
When  a  young  man  he  got  "the  old  elm,"  which 
now  stands  by  the  roadside,  in  a  swamp,  brought 
it  on  his  back  and  set  it  out.  He  died  Oct. 
30,  1832,  and  his  wife  in  May,  1830. 

Eliab  Wight  Metcalf,  third  child  of  Thomas 
and  Jemima,  born  Jan.  20,  1781,  married  May 
7,  1809,  Lydia  Stedman,  who  was  bom  Jan. 
24,  1787.  He  learned  the  printer's  trade  of 
Nathaniel  Heaton  in  Wrentham,  and  about 
1800  went  to  Boston,  and  soon  after  to  work 
at  Cambridge  for  Deacon  William  Hilliard.  He 
was  taken  in  as  a  partner  after  a  short  time, 
finally  became  proprietor,  and  extended  and 
established  the  business  which  now  forms  so 
important  a  part  of  the  industry  of  Cambridge. 
He  sold  out  his  interest  in  printing,  and  be- 
came a  partner  with  Eussell  &  Odiorne  in 
book  publishing  in  Boston.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Legislature  in  1835 ;  was  also  a  promi- 
nent Freemason  and  militiaman.  He  died  Nov. 
27,  1835.  His  wife  died  Dec.  5,  1866.  Their 
children  were:  John  Porter,  born  Feb.  3,  1810, 
died  June  13,  1818;  Catherine  E.  D.,  born  Dec. 
7,  1811,  married  June  18,  1834,  Nathaniel 
Tucker  Bent,  an  Episcopal  clergyman  (born  at 
Milton,  Mass.,  July  31,  1810,  died  Nov.  4,  1856, 
at  Worcester),   and  she  died   Feb.   28,   1892; 


Eliab  Wight,  born  June  10,  1814,  died  Sept. 
13,  1817;  David  Ray,  born  Aug.  28,  1816, 
died  Sept.  19,  1817;  John  Porter,  bom  Sept. 
13,  1818,  died  Sept.  10,  1853;  Lydia  Stedman, 
bom  Aug.  28,  1820,  died  Jan.  14,  1859 ;  Susan 
Harrod  was  born  Sept.  21,  1822;  Eliab  Wight 
(2),  born  Dec.  4,  1824,  died  Aug.,  19,  1835; 
Harriet  Augusta,  born  June  39,  1826,  married 
June  18,  1844,  William  Mason  (born  at  Mystic, 
Conn.,  Sept.  3,  1808,  died  May  31,  1883),  and 
they  resided  in  Taunton,  Mass.,  where  he  was 
proprietor  of  a  large  manufactory  of  locomo- 
tives and  cotton  machinery  (she  died  Dec.  31, 
1880);  Ellen  Maria  was  bom  May  20,  1828; 
a  daughter,  bom  in  November,  1830,  died 
young. 

SEARS  (Middleboro  family).  The  names  of 
Sarres  and  Series  have  been  represented  in 
Guernsey  for  several  centuries,  and  are  found 
there  to-day.  Marblehead,  Mass.,  where  the 
American  ancestor  of  the  Sears  family  resided 
in  1638,  was  largely  settled  by  people  from  the 
islands- of  Guernsey  and  Jersey.  "There  is  a 
popular  belief  that  the  family  of  Sears  is  of 
Norman  origin,  and  it  is  noticeable  that  in 
the  eastern  parishes  of  London,  and  adjacent 
villages,  which  contained  many  Huguenot, 
Flemish  and  Walloon  emigrants,  the  name  of 
Sears  or  Sares  is  common  about  1600." 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  article  to  treat  of 
what  may  properly  be  styled  the  South  Yar- 
mouth-Middleboro  branch  of  the  old  Yarmouth 
Sears  family.  The  head  of  the  Middleboro 
family  was  the  late  Barnabas  Sears,  a  carpen- 
ter and  builder  by  trade  and  early  occupation, 
and  later  at  Middleboro  a  dealer  in  lumber  and 
builders'  supplies,  succeeded  by  his  son,  the 
present  Henry  W.  Sears,  Esq.;  who  has  long 
been  one  of  the  successful  business  men  and 
prominent  citizens  of  his  adopted  town.  The 
latter  gentleman  descends  in  the  ninth  genera- 
tion from  Richard  Sares  (Sears),  one  of  the 
early  comers  to  Plymouth,  from  whom  his  de- 
scent is  through  Lieut.  Silas  Sears,  Capt. 
Joseph  Sears,  Barnabas  Sears,  Stephen  Sears, 
Stephen  Sears  (3),  Barnabas  (3)  and  Barnabas 
Sears  (3).  These  generations  in  the  order 
named  and  in  detail  follow. 

(I)  Richard  Sears  (name  variously  spelled, 
in  time  taking  the  form  of  Sears)  is  of  record 
at  Plymouth  as  early  as  March,  1632-33,  when 
taxed.  He  soon  crossed  over  to  Marblehead 
and  was  there  taxed  in  1637.  He  removed  to 
Yarmouth,  where  he  was  a  proprietor  in  1638. 
His  name  was  on  the  list  of  those  able  to  bear 
arms  in  1643.  He  became  a  freeman  June  7, 
1653.     Commissioners  on  Indian  affairs  were 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS                                       639 

appointed  Oct.  26,  1647,  to  meet  at  his  house,  of  certain  iron-works  Jan.  5,  1740,  and  died 

He  died  in  Yarmouth,  and  was  burred  there  soon,  1740-41.     His  children  were:     Stephen; 

Aug.  26,  1676.    His  widow  Dorothy  was  buried  Hannah;  and  Mary,  born  April  27,  1738,  in 

there  March  19,  1678-79.    It  is  not  certain  that  Hardwick,  Massachusetts. 

she  was  his  only  wife,  or  the  mother  of  all,  (V)   Stephen  Sears,  born  about  1736,  mar- 

if  any,  of  his  children.     His  children  were:  ried  in  Yarmouth,  Mass.,  Nov.  24,  1757,  Lydia 

Paul,  born  in  1637^38;  Silas,  possibly  a  twin  Sears,  who  died  March  8,  1792,  in  her  fifty- 

to  Paul,  as  his  age  as  given  at  his  death  by  seventh   year.     He  then   married    (intentions 

Otis  would  indicate ;  and  Deborah,  born  in  Sep-  published    Nov.    30,    1794)    Martha   Hale,   of 

tember,  1639.  Sandwich,  Mass.,  who  died  Jan.  25,  1838,  aged 

(II)  Lieut.  Silas  Sears,  born  as  indicated  seventy-nine  years.  He  served  in  the  Revolu^ 
by  age  at  time  of  his  death  in  1637-38,  mar-  tion  as  a  private  in  Capt.  Benjamin.  Berry's 
ried  Anna  Bursley,  daughter  of  James  Burs-  (Harwich)  company,  Maj.  Zenas  Winslow's 
ley,  of  Yarmouth.  Both  died  at  Yarmouth,  regiment,  service  five  days,  on  an  alarm  at  Bed- 
Mr.  Sears  Jan.  13,  1697-98,  and  Mrs.  Sears  ford  and  Falmouth,  Sept.  7,  1718.  He  and 
March  4,  1725-26.  Lieutenant  Sears  lived  in  his  wife  Lydia  were  admitted  to  full  com- 
the  East  precinct  of  Yarmouth,  which  later  be-  munion  in  the  Second  Church,  Yarmouth, 
came  Dennis.  He  was  commissioned  ensign  March  20,  1774,  and  he  was  chosen  deacon, 
Oct.  28,  1681,  and  lieutenant  July  7,  1682.  He  March  9,  1789.  His  children,  all  save  the 
was  chosen  representative  to  the  General  Court  youngest  born  to  the  first  wife,  were:  Barna- 
at  Plymouth,  1685-91,  selectman,  1680-94,  and  has,  born  Oct.  7,  1758;  Thankful,  borii  Oct. 
juryman,  1680-82.  The  children  of  Silas  Sears  15,  1760;  Kezia,  born  Aug.  14,  1763;  Stephen, 
were:  Silas,  born  in  1661;  Richard  (both  born  Oct.  2,  1765;  Priscilla,  born  Aug.  13, 
born  in  Yarmouth) ;  Hannah,  born  in  Decern-  1768;  Lydia,  born  July  24,  1771;  and  Sophro- 
ber,  1672,  in  Eastham;  Joseph  and  Josiah,  born  nia,  born  in  1797 — all  in  Yarmouth,  Massa- 
about  1675  in  Yarmouth;  and  Elizabeth  and  chusetts. 

Dorothy,  both  born  in  Yarmouth.  (VI)  Stephen  Sears  (2),  born  Oct.  2,  1765, 

(III)  Capt.  Joseph  Sears,  born  about  1675  in  Yarmouth,  married  Nov.  10,  1785,  Sarah, 
in  Yarmouth,  married  there  Sept.  19,  1700,  daughter  of  David  G.  Gorham.  She  was  ad- 
Hannah  Hall,  of  Yarmouth,  and  is  designated  mitted  to  the  church  in  East  Yarmouth,  Jan. 
as  a  yeoman  of  that  town.  He  lived  in  the  28,  1787,  and  died  in  April,  1811.  He  then 
East  precinct,  now  Dennis,  and  was  styled  cap-  remarried,  his  second  wife  dying  in  January, 
tain.  He  died  May  7,  1750,  in  the  seventy-fifth  1825.  He  died  in  East  Dennis,  Mass.,  May  24, 
year  of  his  age,  as  per  gravestone.  His  wife  1851,  aged  eighty-five  years.  His  children,  all 
Hannah  died  July  28,  1753,  in  her  seventy-  born  to  the  first  wife,  were:  Elizabeth,  born 
third  year,  according  to  her  gravestone.  She  Aug.  20;  1786;  Priscilla,  June  25,  1788;  Bar- 
was  admitted  to  the  church  at  Harwich  March  nabas,  July  30,  1790;  Lydia,  Sept.  3,  1792; 

21,  1708,  and  to  the  Second  Church  at  Yar-  David  Gorham,  Nov.  16,  1794;  Almond,  or 
mouth  Aug.  6,  1727.  Their  chiliren,  all  born  Alfred,  May  1,  1798;  Stephen,  March  16,  1800; 
in  Yarmouth,  were:     Priscilla,   born   July   1,  and  Stephen  (2),  July  5,  1804. 

1701;  Hannah,  Dec.  10,  1703;  Zachariah,  April  (VII)   Barnabas  Sears,  born  July  30,  1790, 

22,  1706;  Joseph,  March  27,  1708;  Stephen,  in  Dennis,  Mass.,  married  in  Yarmouth,  Mass., 
July  22,  1710;  Roland,  May  17,  1711;  Barna-  Dec.  12,  1815,  Hannah,  born  there  Nov.  13, 
bas,  April  5,  1714;  Peter,  May  20,  1716;  1792,  daughter  of  Isaiah  Crocker.  Mr.  Sears 
Bethia,  March  20,  1718;  Silas,  Feb.  11,  1719-  died  in  South  Yarmouth,  Mass.,  July  17,  1875, 
20;  and  Thankful,  April  11,  1723.  aged  eighty-five,  and  was  buried  in  the  Quaker 

(IV)  Barnabas  Sears,  born  April  5,  1714,  cemetery.  His  wife  died  Jan.  7,  1879,  aged 
in  Yarmouth,  Mass.,  married  in  Rochester,  eighty-six  years,  two  months.  Their  children, 
Mass.,  Sept.  25,  1732,  Thankful,  born  in  Har-  all  born  in  South  Yarmouth,  were:  John 
wich,  Mass.,  Oct.  6,  1714,  daughter  of  John  Kelly,  born  Sept.  11,  1816,  who  married  at 
and  Mercy  (Watson)  Freeman,  of  Rochester.  Nantucket,  Mass.,  Sarah  Burdett;  Barnabas, 
Mr.  Sears  was  a  bloomer,  or  iron  forger,  and  born  Sept.  14,  1818;'  Stephen,  born  July  15, 
probably  an  associate  in  business  with  his  1822;  Seth,  born  Sept.  27,  1825,  who  died  July 
brother  Roland.  He  removed  from  Rddrtster  17,  1847;  Elizabeth,  born  Nov.  18,  1828,  who 
to  Hardwick  before  the  birth  of  his  daughter  married  Nov.  30,  1851,  Dr.  John  Stetson,  of 
Mary  in  1738,  as  his  daughter  Hannah  was  Abington,  Mass. ;  and  David,  born  July  6, 
born  there.  From  Hardwick  he  removed  to  1832,  the  only  survivor  of  this  family,  and 
Brookfield,  where  he  purchased  an  eighth  part  now  living  at  South  Yarmouth. 


640 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


(VIII)  Barnabas  Sears  (2),  born  Sept.  14, 
1818,  in  South  Yarmouth,  Mass.,  married  in 
Yarmouth,  Nov.  36,  1840,  Ruth  H.,  born  Jan. 
28,  1806,  daughter  of  Rev.  Simeon  and  Char- 
lotte Crowell.  She  died  Oct.  31,  1851,  in 
South  Yarmouth,  Mass.,  and  he  married  (sec- 
ond) in  Brewster,  Mass.,  Oct.  18,  1852,  Deb- 
orah Manter  Clark,  born  Oct.  9,  1832, 
daughter  of  Capt.  William  and  Lydia  Clark, 
of  Brewster,  Mass.  She  died  April  38,  1885, 
in  Middleboro,  Mass.,  and  he  married  (third) 
May  2,  1886,  Mrs.  Susan  H.  Doane,  of  Sonier- 
ville,  Mass.,  now  deceased. 

Barnabas  Sears  was  a  carpenter  and  builder 
of  the  town  of  South  Yarmouth,  being  so  occu- 
pied and  residing  there  until  1874,  when  he 
removed  to  Middleboro,  where,  associated  with 
his  brother,  John  K.  Sears,  under  the  firm 
name  of  J.  K.  &  B.  Sears,  he  engaged  in  the 
lumber  and  hardware  business,  and  they  so 
managed  their  business  affairs  as  to  be  highly 
successful.  The  firm  of  J.  K.  &  B.  Sears  was 
first  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  in  South 
Yarmouth,  where  they  became  established  in 
1849,  carrying  it  on  until  1869,  when  the  busi- 
ness was  removed  to  Hyannis,  Mass.,  where  it 
is  still  being  conducted  under  the  same  firm 
name,  together  with  the  business  at  Middle- 
boro. Mr.  Sears,  besides  his  residence  at  Mid- 
dleboro, maintained  a  summer  home  in  South 
Yarmouth,  the  old  Crowell  homestead.  He 
retired  from  active  business  in  1888,  and  there- 
after resided  at  his  home  in  South  Yarmouth, 
where  he  died  Aug.  30,  1894,  in  his  seventy- 
sixth  year,  an  esteemed  and  respected  citizen 
and  a  prosperous  and  successful  business  man. 
He  was  buried  at  South  Yarmouth.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Central  Congregational 
Church,  of  Middleboro,  and  politically  was  a 
Republican.  His  children  born  to  his  wife 
Ruth  were:  Henry,  born  June  24,  1842,  died 
Feb.  8,  1843;.  John,  born  May  29,  1845,  died 
Sept.  12th,  of  that  same  year;  John  K.,  born 
Sept.  16,  1846,  died  July  29,  1847;  Simeon 
Crowell,  bom  Oct.  16,  1847,  died  March  29, 
1864,  of  injuries,  having  fallen  from  aloft,  off 
the  west  coast  of  South  America,  March  17th, 
while  on  passage  from  Rio  Janeiro  to  San 
Francisco,  in  the  ship  "Fleetwing."  The  chil- 
dren born  to  Mr.  Sears  by  his  wife  Deborah 
were:  Isaiah  Clark,  born  Sept.  11,  1853,  re- 
sides at  Hyannis,  being  in  the  lumber  business 
in  partnership  with  his  brother  Henry  W. 
Sears;  Henry  William  was  born  April  24, 
1859;  Etta  Frances,  born  Feb.  26,  1866,  mar- 
ried Walter  H.  Doane,  and  they  reside  in  Port- 
land, Oregon. 

(IX)  Heney  W.   Sears,   son  of  Barnabas 


and  Deborah,  was  born  April  24,  1859,  in 
South  Yarmouth,  Mass.  He  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  main  in  the  comm,on  schools  of  his 
native  town,  furthering  his  preparation  for 
business  with  a  three  months'  course  of  study 
at  Comer's  commercial  college  in  Boston.  He 
began  his  business  career  as  a  clerk  in  a  gro- 
cery store  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  remaining  so 
occupied  for  some  six  months.  At  the  age 
of  sixteen,  in  1875,  he  entered  the  establish- 
ment of  his  father  and  uncle,  at  Middleboro, 
J.  K.  &  B.  Sears,  and  some  half  dozen  years 
later,  Jan.  1,  1882,  was  taken  into  the  firm, 
the  style  of  which  was  then  changed  to  the  one 
it  has  ever  since  borne,  that  of  J.  K.  &  B.  Sears 
&  Co.  As  the  father  advanced  in  years  the 
management  fell  to  the  son,  the  father  practi- 
cally retiring,  and  on  the  father's  death  the 
son  assumed  control  and  has  since  conducted 
it  with  that  perseverance,  energy  and  good 
management  that  had  been  shown  by  the  father. 
The  business  has  steadily  grown  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  son  until  it  is  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive in  its  line  of  any  in  the  Middleboro 
section  of  Massachusetts.  At  the  establishment 
is  kept  a  full  line  of  lumber,  doors,  sashes, 
blinds,  hardware,  paints  and  builders'  supplies 
of  all  kinds. 

The  political  aSiliations  of  Mr.  Sears  are 
with  the  Republican  party,  in  whose  councils 
he  has  been  active,  zealous  and  prominent.  He 
lias  been  a  member  of  the  town  committee  of 
his  party.  He  has  proved  himself  a  valuable 
citizen,  a  man  of  worth  to  the  community.  He 
has  long  been  a  stanch  advocate  of  total  absti- 
nence, and  a  member  of  the  Sons  of  Temper- 
ance. His  religious  faith  is  that  of  the  Con- 
gregational denomination,  and  he  has  long  been 
an  active  and  zealous  member  of  the  church  of 
that  denomination  at  Middleboro,  serving  it  as 
clerk  and  deacon.  He  has  also  served  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  and 
has  taken  an  interest  in  the  work  of  the  Sun- 
day school  of  the  church;  has  been  active 
in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  and  was  president  of  same 
for  several  years. 

On  Dec.  5,  1883,  Mr.  Sears  was  married 
to  Martha  S.,  daughter  of  James  M.  Pickens,  of 
Middleboro,  Mass.  Two  children  have  blessed 
the  marriage:  (1)  Henry  W.,  born  Jan.  11, 
1888,  in  Middleboro,  was  educated  in  district 
and  high  schools  in  Middleboro,  and  in  the 
School  of  Technology  in  Worcester,  remaining 
in  the  latter  two  years.  He  is  now  engaged 
in  business  with  his  father.  (2)  Mabel  B., 
born  April  20,  1892,  was  graduated  from  the 
Middleboro  high  school  in  1909.  Mrs.  Sears 
is  a  member  of  the  Cabot  Club,  of  Middleboro. 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


641 


She  is  a  descendant  of  Tliomas  Pickens,  the  first 
of  that  name  in  New  England,  her  lineage  be- 
ing as  follows: 

(I)  Thomas  Pickens,  according  to  a  letter  of 
his  grandson,  John  Pickens,  of  New  Bedford, 
bearing  date  of  Jan.  6,  1807,  with  his  wife 
Margaret  (Steel)  and  their  children,  Jane, 
Andrew  and  James,  the  latter  two  twins  and 
about  two  years  of  age,  came  to  America  about 
1717,  landing,  after  a  rough  and  tedious  voy- 
age of  eleven  weeks,  at  Boston.  The  family 
was  for  a  time  at  Milton,  thence  went  to  Free- 
town, and  later  settled  in  the  southwest  part 
of  Middleboro,  on  land  which  for  generations 
was  occupied  by  their  descendants.  Two  sons 
and  two  daughters  were  born  to  them  after 
their  arrival  in  New  England,  namely :  Martha, 
John,  Margaret  and  Thomas.  The  Milton 
Church  records  show  that  "Thomas  and  Martha, 
twins,  children  of  Neighbour  Thomas  Pickens, 
were  baptized  June  11,  1721."  The  family 
came  from  BallyguUy,  near  Coleraine,  in  the 
northern  part  of  Ireland.  Thomas  Pickens  first 
acquired  land  in  the  Middleboros  by  deed  Dec. 

26,  1732,  from  Barnabas  Eaton.  His  name 
appears  as  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
Lakeville  Congregational  Church  formed  Oct. 
12,  1725. 

(II)  Andrew  Pickens,  born  about  1715,  in 
Coleraine,  Ireland,  came  to  New  England  with 
the  family.  On  Nov.  19,  1741,  he  married 
Elizabeth  Eeed,  of  Freetown.  Mr.  Pickens  was 
a  farmer,  and  lived  on  the  land  owned  by  and 
in  the  house  built  by  his  father.  He  died  in 
Middleboro  March  29,  1795,  in  the  seventy- 
ninth  year  of  his  age.  His  wife  died  in  Mid- 
dleboro April  4,  1795,  in  her  eighty-second 
year.     Their  children  were:     John,  born  Feb. 

27,  1743;  Andrew,  Jr.,  July  3,  1744;  Phebe, 
Nov.  4,  1745;  James,  March  17,  1747;  Sarah, 
Nov.  18,  1748;  Thomas,  Nov.  3,  1750;  Samuel, 
May  4,  1752;  Eleazer,  May  27,  1754;  Martha, 
Feb.  6,  1756;  Elizabeth,  March  21,  1757;  Ben- 
jamin, May  10,  1760. 

(III)  Samuel  Pickens,  bom  May  4,  1752, 
married  Matilda,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Briggs, 
who  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  being  a 
member  of  Capt.  Amos  Washburn's  company, 
which  marched  on  two  alarms  at  Dartmouth  in 
1778;  also  a  member  of  Capt.  Jonah  Wash- 
burn's company,  which  marched  to  Rhode 
Island  on  an  alarm  in  1780.  The' children  born 
to  Samuel  and  Matilda  were :  Stephen  Briggs, 
born  Oct.  5,  1782;  James,  Oct.  17,  1784;  and 
Ebenezer,  Oct.  6,  1787. 

Samuel  Pickens,  the  father  of  this  family, 
was  also  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  having  been 
a  private  and  corporal  in  Capt.  Job  Peirce's 

41 


company  which,  was  on  duty  in  Rhode  Island 
in  1777,  during  the  Revolution;  and  also  was 
a  private  in  Capt.  Amos  Washburn's  company, 
raised  in  Middleboro  in  1778.  He  served  as  a 
member  of  the  Constitutional  convention,  Nov. 
15,  1820. 

(IV)  Ebenezer  Pickens,  son  of  Samuel,  born 
Oct.  6,  1787,  in  that  part  of  Middleboro  which 
became  Lakeville,  married  Oct.  5,  1813,  Mary 
Bourne  Thompson,  born  Nov.  4,  1792,  a  direct 
descendant  of  John  Tomson,  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Plymouth  and  Middleboro,  and  his 
wife  Mary  (Cooke),  daughter  of  Francis 
Cooke,  of  the  "Mayflower,"  1620,  from  which 
her  descent  is  through  Jacob  Thompson,  Jacob 
Thompson  (2),  Jacob  Thompson  (3), 'Benja- 
min Thompson  and  his  wife  Mary  (Bourne), 
Benjamin,  last  named,  being  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolution. 

Ebenezer  Pickens  was  one  of  the  well  and 
favorably  known  men  who  lived  at  the  Four 
Corners  in  Middleboro.  He  lived  near  his 
birthplace  until  the  year  1832,  when  he  re- 
moved his  house  to  its  present  site  near  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Courtland  streets.  He  re- 
sided there  for  twenty  years,  and  in  1852  pur- 
chased land  on  the  southerly  side  of  Main 
street  and  built  a  commodious  house.  In  1822 
Mr.  Pickens  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  in  1850  a  trial  justice,  which  office 
he  held  until  the  time  of  his  death.  In  con- 
structing his  house  just  alluded  to  Mr.  Pickens 
provided  a  room  on  the  east  side  for  an  office 
and  courtroom.  In  1847  he  was  elected  county 
commissioner  and  served  nine  years.  While  a 
resident  of  Lakeville,  and  later,  he  with  his 
family  attended  church  at  the  Green,  and  they 
were  seldom  absent  from  services  through  sum- 
mer's heat  and  winter's  cold.  On  the  formation 
of  the  Central  Congregational  Church  Mr. 
Pickens  was  chosen  one  of  the  deacons,  a. rela- 
tion he  sustained  to  the  church  until  the  time 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  May  8,  1868,  when 
he  was  aged  eighty  years.  The  children  born 
to  Mr.  Pickens  and  his  wife  were:  Caroline 
Matilda  (born  Dec.  26,  1814)  and  Andrew 
Jackson  and  James  Madison,  twins  (born  June 
5,  1818). 

(V)  James  Madison  Pickens  was  born  in 
that  part  of  Middleboro  which  is  now  Lake- 
ville, Mass.,  June  5,  1818,  and  there  grew  to 
manhood.  As  a  young  man  he  was  engaged 
in  business  in  New  Bedford,  but  later  he 
started  in  business  for  himself,  manufacturing 
straw  goods.  He  formed  a  partnership  with 
his  twin  brother,  Andrew  J.,  and  William  A. 
King,  purchasing  the  business  of  Ebenezer 
Briggs,  and  they  were  the  pioneer  manufac- 


642 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


turers  of  straw  goods  in  this  section.  He  con- 
tinued in  the  business  until  1858,  when  he  sold 
out  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for 
several  years.  He  next  became  interested  in 
the  real  estate  business,  at  which  he  continued 
during  the  remainder  of  his  active  life.  He 
was  a  man  of  upright  character  and  honorable 
dealings.  He  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Central  Congregational  Church,  and  was  active 
in  building  it  up  in  a  successful  way ;  he  was 
connected  with  the  building  of  the  church  edi- 
fice, contributing  over  $1,000  in  money,  as  well 
as  giving  much  of  his  time.  He  was  for  up- 
ward of  a  quarter  of  a  century  deacon  of  the 
church.  A  good  Christian  man  in  every  sense 
of  the  word,  he  left  a  name  of  which  his  chil- 
dren are  justly  proud.  He  had  a  beautiful 
tenor  voice,  and  conducted  singing  schools  in 
different  sections  of  the  State  for  nearly  half 
a  century.  He  died  at  his  home  on  South 
Main  street,  Middleboro,  Feb.  16,  1899,  after 
a  long  and  painful  illness,  and  was  buried  in 
Central  cemetery. 

Mr.  Pickens  married,  June  5,  1851,  Lucy 
H.  Potter,  of  North  Brookfield,  Mass.,  whose 
grandfather,  Capt.  John  Potter,  was  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier,  and  four  children  were  born  to 
them:  (1)  Lucy  maTried  Richard  Cobb,  and 
resides  at  West  Newton,  Mass.  (2)  Laura  mar- 
ried E.  F.  Kingman,  of  Brockton,  and  she  is 
now  a  widow,  residing  in  Riverside,  Cal.,  of 
which  city  Mr.  Kingman  was  mayor  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  (3)  Mary  B.  married  Amasa 
R.  Glidden,  of  Middleboro,  where  they  reside. 
(4)  Martha  S.  married  Henry  W.  Sears,  of 
Middleboro. 

FRANK  L.  CARPENTER,  treasurer  of  the 
Davis  Mills  at  Fall  River,  is. a  member  of  one 
of  the  oldest  families  in  New  England,  being 
a  descendant  in  the  ninth  generation  from  Wil- 
liam Carpenter,  from  whom  we  give  the  line 
down  to  the  present. 

(I)  William  Carpenter,  son  of  William  Car- 
penter, of  London,  was  born  in  1605,  in  Eng- 
land, and  there  married  Abigail.  On  coming 
to  America,  he  first  settled  in  Wej'mouth,  where 
he  became  a  freeman  in  1640.  He  was  a  repre- 
sentative from  Weymouth  in  1641  and  1643, 
and  from  Rehoboth  in  1645,  having  been  ad- 
mitted an  inhabitant  of  the  latter  town  in  1645. 
He  was  also  made  a  freeman  in  that  same  year. 
From  1643  to  1649  he  served  as  proprietors' 
and  town  clerk.  He  died  Feb.  7,  1659,  in  Reho- 
both, Mass.,  his  widow,  Abigail,  dying  Feb.  22, 
1687.  Three  of  their  seven  children  were  born 
in  England,  the  next  three  in  Weymouth,  and 
the  youngest  in  Rehoboth ;  they  were :     John, 


born  about  1628;  William,  about  1631;  Joseph,, 
about  1633;  Hannah,  April  3,  1640;  Abiah  and 
Abigail  (twins),  April  9,  1643,  and  Samuel, 
about  1644. 

(II)  Samuel  Carpenter,  born  about  1644,. 
married  May  25,  1660,  Sarah  Readaway,  of 
Rehoboth.  He  was  one  who  bought  land  in  the 
North  Purchase,  and  also  had  land  allotted  ta 
him  in  the  division  in  1671.  He  died  Feb.  20,. 
1682  or  1683,  and  his  widow  Sarah  remarried. 
He  and  Sarah  had  a  family  of  ten  children,  all 
born  in  Rehoboth,  viz. :  Samuel,  Sept.  15, 
1661;  Sarah,  Jan.  11,  1663-64;  Abiah,  Feb.  10, 
1665-66;  James,  April  12,  1668;  Jacob,  Sept. 
5,  1670;  Jonathan,  Dec.  11,  1672;  Solomon, 
Dec.  23,  1677;  David,  April  17,  1675;  Zach- 
ariah,  July  1,  1680;  and  Abraham,  Sept.  20, 
1682. 

(III)  Abiah  Carpenter,  son  of  Samuel,  was 
born  Feb.  10,  1665-66,  married  (first)  May 
30,  1690,  Mehitable  Read,  who  was  born 
in  August,  1660,  and  died  March  19,  1701-02. 
He  married  (second)  June  7,  1702,  Sarah 
Read,  who  died  July  17,  1724.  He  married 
(third)  Mary  Ormsby  on  July  16,  1726.  Abiah 
Carpenter  was  a  farmer  and  wheelwright  and 
served  as  ensign  in  the  militia.  He  died  in 
April,  1732.  His  children,  all  born  in  Reho- 
both, were:  Abiah,  April  21,  1691;  Thomas,. 
Nov.  8,  1692;  Mehitable,  Nov.  15,  1694;  Sam- 
uel ;  Sarah,  1696  ;  Rachel,  May  19,  1699  ;  Peter, 
April  22,  1701;  Mary,  March  4,  1704;  and 
Cornelius,  Aug.  20,  1707. 

(IV)  Thomas  Carpenter,  son  of  Abiah,  born 
Nov.  8.  1692,  married  Jan.  17,  1720  or  1721, 
Mary  Barstow.  He  lived  in  Rehoboth,  Mass., 
was  a  farmer  and  a  deacon  in  the  church.  He 
died  May  3,  1779,  in  Rehoboth.  She  died  April 
28,  1783,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  Their  chil- 
dren, all  born  in  Rehoboth,  were :  Mary,  born 
Sept.  22,  1723;  Peter,  Sept.  22,  1723  (married 
Rachel  Bullock  and  second  Amy  French^ 
widow)  ;  Rachel,  April  14,  1731  (married  John 
Hunt);  Thomas,  Oct.  24,^733;  Caleb,  Sept. 
21,  1736  (married  Elizabeth  Bullock). 

(V)  Capt.  Thomas  Carpenter  (2),  son  of 
Thomas,  born  Oct.  24,  1733,  married  Dec.  26, 
1754,  Elizabeth  Moulton.  He  was  a  farmer  in- 
Rehoboth,  Mass.  He  was  elected  deputy  to 
the  General  Court  in  1775 ;  was  commissioned 
colonel  of  Bristol  (Mass.)  militia  Feb.  10,  1776. 
He  marched  to  New  York  under  the  command 
of  General  Lincoln — dated  Boston  Nov.  28, 
1776;  he  appears  on  a  petition  asking  for  a 
new  choice  of  officers — dated  Rehoboth,  June 
26,  1778;  autograph  signatures.  He  served  on 
the  Rhode  Island  expedition,  July  24,  1778, 
.served  one  month  and  nineteen  days.    Thomas' 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


643 


Carpenter,  colonel,  1st  Bristol  regiment  (dated 
July  5,  1779),  Brigadier  General  Godfrey's 
brigade;  served  at  Tiverton,  July  26,  1780,  for 
seven  days;  served  the  second  time  at  Tiverton, 
Aug.  1,  1780,  for  nine  days.  Col.  Thomas  Car- 
penter had  130  men  fit  for  duty  as  by  returns 
of  Gen.  H.  Parsons,  of  the  Provincial  army, 
Nov.  3,  1776.  He  was  promoted  from  a  private 
to  colonel,  and  served  in  the  Eevolutionary  war. 
He  was  made  captain  in  a  military  company 
in  Bristol  county,  Oct.  7,  1774.  On  Feb.  1, 
1775,  he  was  sent  from  Rehoboth,  chosen  on  a 
committee  to  take  into  consideration  the  vote 
of  supplying  several  individuals  of  Boston  and 
other  towns  with  lumber,  etc.,  and  every  other 
field  equipage  necessary  to  qualify  them  to  take 
the  field  in  the  spring.  He  was  chosen  County 
committee  April  12,  1775.  On  Jan.  2,  1775, 
the  town  of  Eehoboth  chose  Maj.  Timothy 
Walker  and  Capt.  Thomas  Carpenter  delegates 
to  attend  the  Provincial  Congress  to  be  held 
at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  on  Feb.  1,  1776.  Captain 
Carpenter  was  also  chosen  a  delegate  from 
Eehoboth  to  attend  the  Provincial  Congress  held 
at  Watertown,  Mass.,  May  31,  1775.  He  with 
others  was  ordered  by  the  Provincial  committee 
in  bringing  up  the  Indians,  June  23,  1775.  On 
June  28,  1775,  he  was  one  of  the  committee  to 
fix  the  pay  of  the  soldiers  and  officers.  On  July 
5,  1775,  he  was  one  of  the  committee  to  con- 
sider some  method  to  prevent  conveyance  of 
intelligence  to  the  enemy,  and  also  to  stop 
supplies. 

In  September,  1776,  a  regiment  was  raised 
in  the  town  of  Rehoboth  and  some  of  the  ad- 
joining towns,  and  marched  under  the  com- 
mand of  Col.  Thomas  Carpenter,  of  Eehoboth, 
to  join  the  army  of  Washington  at  White  Plains, 
N.  Y.  They  arrived  there  some  time  before  the 
battle,  but  were  not  in  the  action,  being  drawn 
up  under  arms  about  four  miles  distant  in 
momentary  expectation  of  orders  to  march  to 
the  scene  of  battle.  Previous  to  this  battle 
Colonel  Carpenter's  regiment  had  a  slight  skir- 
mish with  a  small  detachment  of  the  British, 
and  three  of  his  men  were  wounded.  On  Aug. 
18,  1788,  Col.  Thomas  Carpenter  was  ordered 
with  his  regiment  to  march  immediately  to 
Ehode  Island,  and  there  to  do  duty  during  the 
campaign. 

Col.  Thomas  Carpenter  was  in  action  on  Long 
Island  Aug.  29,  1778,  and  was  distinguished 
for  his  activity  and  bravery.  Several  of  the 
soldiers  belonging  to  Colonel  Carpenter's  regi- 
ment, residents  of  Eehoboth,  were  killed. 

Col.  Thomas  Carpenter  was  a  large,  portly 
man.  One  of  his  granddaughters  is  the  au- 
thority that  she  made  a  whole  suit  of  clothes 


for  one  of  hfer  children  out  of  one  of  the 
Colonel's  vests.  He  died  April  26,  1807,  at 
Eehoboth.  His  wife  died  May  17,  1804.  Their 
children,  all  born  in  Eehoboth,  were :  Eliza- 
beth, born  Dec.  22,  1755,  who  married  Pre- 
served Abell ;  Thomas,  born  March  6,  1758,  who 
married  Cynthia  Wheaton ;  one  not  named,  bom 
Oct.  8,  1759;  Sarah,  born  Oct.  10,  1760;  Wil- 
liam, born  April  15,  1763;  James,  born  Sept. 
15,  1764;  Stephen,  born  Nov.  5,  1765;  James 
(2),  born  Sept.  15,  1767,  who  married  Lucy 
Bliss;  Eebecca,  born  Sept.  14,  1769,  who  mar- 
ried (first)  Samuel  Bliss  and  (second)  Thomas 
Carpenter;  Nathan,  born  June  17,  1772;  Peter, 
born  Oct.  5,  1773,  who  married  Nancy  Bishop; 
and  Nathan   (2),  born  Aug.  27,  1776. 

(VI)  Stephen  Carpenter,  son  of  Capt., 
Thomas,  born  Nov.  5,  1765,  married  in  Janu- 
ary, 1790,  Hannah  Wilmarth,  and  they  were 
farming  people.  Their  children  were :  Han- 
nah, born  Oct.  22,  1791,  who  married  Sylvester 
Allen:  Stephen,  born  Sept.  19,  1793;  Maria, 
born  Sept.  2,  1796;  William  M.,  born  April  5, 
1798;  Joseph  Wilmarth,  born  Nov.  24,  1801, 
who  married  Louisa  Lewis,  widow;  Samuel 
Bliss,  born  June  15,  1804,  who  married  Sera- 
phina  A.  Hix ;  Ira  Winsor,  born  May  19,  1807, 
who  married  Mercy  Ann  Hall ;  Abigail  Whipple, 
born  July  28,  1810,  who  married  James  B. 
Moulton ;  and  Francis  Henry,  born  April  24, 
1813.  who  married  Betsey  Perry. 

(VII)  Stephen  Carpenter  (2),  born  Sept. 
19,  1793,  grandfather  of  Frank  L.,  resided  in 
that  part  of  Tiverton  now  included  in  the  city 
limits  of  Fall  Eiver  and  was  engaged  as  a 
tavernkeeper.  He  died  Sept.  28,  1841.  On. 
Feb.  15,  1825,  he  married  Mary  P.  Lawton, 
and  they  had  four  children,  as  follows:  (1) 
William  Moulton,  born  May  30,  1827,  married 
Eunice  Walker  Bishop,  on  May  20,  1851.  She 
was  born  Dec.  23,  1821,  and  died  Nov.  3,  1889. 
He  was  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business  and 
died  April  4.  1868.  (2)  Joseph  Wilmarth  was 
born  June  28,  1828.  (3)  Stephen  Henry,  bom 
Jan.  30,  1826,  died  June  28,  1827.  (4)  George 
Washington,  born  Nov.  25,  1830,  died  Dec.  21, 
1832. 

(VIII)  Joseph  Wilmarth  Carpenter  was  bom 
June  28.  1828,  in  Tiverton  (now  Fall  Eiver), 
and  when  a  young  man  learned  the  trade  of 
machine  engraver  of  the  cloth  printing  indus- 
try. After  a  time  he  engaged  in  the  dry  goods 
business  in  company  with  his  brother  William, 
in  Providence.  They  continued  there  until  fire 
destroyed  their  establishment,  when  Joseph  W. 
returned  to  Fall  Eiver  and  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery business,  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Rod- 
man streets.     Subsequently  he  was  elected  city 


644 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


messenger,  part  of  the  duties  of  which  position 
at  that  time  was  the  renting  of  the  city  hall 
for  amusement  purposes  and  also  looking  after 
the  markets  in  the  basement.  In  1873  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Berkley  and  resided  there 
for  seven  years.  Returning  to  Fall  River,  he 
was  made  sealer  of  weights  and  measures,  hold- 
ing that  position  for  a  succession  of  years,  later 
having  charge  of  the  care  of  the  city  hall.  He 
then  engaged  in  the  roll  covering  business, 
which  he  followed  until  the  infirmities  of  age 
incapacitated  him  from  further  activities,  and 
he  died  Feb.  24,  1894.  He  was  buried  in  Oak 
Grove  cemetery.  Mr.  Carpenter  was  a  member 
of  the  old  Cascade  hand  fire  company,  serving 
as  clerk  of  the  organization  for  many  years. 

On  Nov.  10,  1853,  Mr.  C^arpenter  married 
Phebe  Kershaw,  who  was  born  Feb.  13,  1831, 
in  Cheadle,  England,  daughter  of  James  W. 
and  Mary  R.  (Barnes)  Kershaw.  Mrs.  Carpen- 
ter died  April  20,  1895.  They  had  children  as 
follows:  (1)  Joseph  Wilmarth,  born  Sept.  4, 
1855,  married  Anna  Barney,  and  died  in  Wor- 
cester, Mass.,  Oct.  30,  1899.  He  was  a  travel- 
ing salesman.  (2)  Annie  E.,  born  Feb.  22, 
1858,  was  for  several  years  a  teacher  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Fall  River.  She  is  now  the  wife 
of  Moses  F.  Brierly  and  resides  in  Worcester, 
Mass.  (3)  Mary  A.,  born  July  17,  1860,  is  a 
teacher  in  the  Robeson  school,  at  Fall  River. 
(4)  Edward  M.,  born  May  23,  1863,  married 
Alice  Hayhurst  and  resides  in  Fall  River.  (5) 
Frank  L.  was  born  Jan.  3,  1868. 

(IX)  Frank  L.  Carpenter  was  born  in  Fall 
Eiver  Jan.  3,  1868,  and  graduated  from  the 
high  school  there  in  1887.  He  then  began  to 
learn  the  profession  of  architect,  in  the  office  of 
Ichabod  B.  Burt,  where  he  remained  one  year, 
leaving  there  to  become  a  clerk  in  the  Durfee 
Mills,  and  one  year  later  he  went  to  the  Saga- 
more Manufacturing  Company  as  assistant 
bookkeeper.  He  was  there  until  1892,  when 
he  became  bookkeeper  for  the  Fall  River  Iron 
Works  Company,  remaining  with  that  concern 
until  Sept.  14,  1909,  when  he  was  chosen  treas- 
urer of  the  Davis  Mills,  succeeding  the  late 
Arthur  H.  Mason.  Mr.  Carpenter's  business 
ability  has  been  proved  in  his  long  connection 
with  the  mills  of  this  region,  and  he  has  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  all  his  business  asso- 
ciates. He.  is  a  member  of  the  corporation  of 
both  the  Fall  River  Savings  Bank  and  the 
Union  Savings  Bank. 

Mr.  Carpenter  is  a  member  of  the  Arkwright 
Club  of  Boston,  the  Fall  River  Cotton  Manu- 
facturing Association,  the  National  Cotton 
Manufacturers'  Association  (with  headquarters 
in  New  York),  and  socially  of  the  Quequechan 


Club.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  King 
Philip  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  which  he  is 
past  master,  and  which  he  served  two  years  as 
treasurer;  of  Fall  River  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.; 
Fall  River  Council,  R.  &  S.  M,,  of  which  he  is 
past  thrice  illustrious  master;  of  Godfrey  de 
Bouillon  Conimandery,  Knights  Templar,  of 
which  he  is  past  eminent  commander;  and  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  and  Rhode 
Island  Association  of  Knights  Templars  Com- 
manders. He  is  a  charter  member  of  Puritan 
Lodge,  No.  88,  K.  of  P.,  and  was  master  of 
finance  for  several  years.  In  politics -he  is  a 
Republican. 

Mr.  Carpenter  was  married  in  Fall  River 
Sept.  20,  1893,  to  Annie  P.  Brightman,  a  native 
of  that  place,  daughter  of  Pardon  M.  and  Rachel 
D.  (Pickering)  Brightman,  and  they  have  one 
daughter,  Isabel,  born  July  22,  1899. 

CRANE  (Bridge water  family).  Through 
the  greater  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  there 
resided  at  Bridgewater  a  branch  of  the  early 
New  England  Crane  family,  its  representative 
head  being  the  late  Hon.  Joshua  Eddy  Crane, 
himself  one  of  the  most  active  and  useful  citi- 
zens of  Bridgewater  of  his  generation,  promi- 
nent in  public  life,  etc.,  who  reared  several  sons 
who  followed  in  his  footsteps,  and  of  an  ancient 
and  honorable  ancestry  which,  with  his  own 
marriage,  has  given  his  posterity  a  New  Eng- 
land inheritance  which  they  may  contemplate 
with  just  pride. 

From  the  best  information  at  hand  it  appears 
that  between  the  years  1635  and  1640  John, 
Samuel  and  Jaspar  Crane  came  to  Massachu- 
setts, John  making  a  home  in  that  part  of  Bos- 
ton now  Brookline,  Samuel  in  Dorchester,  and 
Jaspar  removing  about  1639  to  New  Haven, 
Conn. ;  whether  they  are  brothers  or  not  is  yet 
an  open  question.  John  was  in  Boston  as  early 
as  Jan.  8,  1637,  but  must  have  died  or  returned 
to  England  within  a  few  years.  The  latter  was 
succeeded  by  Henry  Crane,  who  was  born  about 
1621,  probably  in  England,  and  married 
Tabitha,  daughter  of  Stephen  Kinsley;  settled 
in  Braintree,  and  left  a  large  line  of  descendants. 
Without  evidence  to  the  contrary  it  may  be 
reasonably  supposed  that  Samuel  was  the  father 
of  this  Henry.  Samuel  Crane  is  mentioned  in 
the  Braintree  records,  1640,  as  one  of  several 
elected  to  administer  town  affairs,  among  them 
Stephen  Kinsley,  this  the  first  association  in 
these  records  of  the  names  Kinsley  and  Crane. 
In  1654  Stephen  Kinsley  (who  was  at  Mount 
Wollaston.  Mass.,  in  1639)  and  his  sons-in-law 
Anthony  Gulliver  and  Henry  Crane  were  set- 
tled on  adjacent  farms  in  that  part  of  Dorches- 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


645 


ter  which  later  was  incorporated  as  Milton. 
Henry  Crane  was  in  main  a  husbandman.  He 
was  one  of  the  selectmen  of  Milton  in  1679, 
1680  and  1681,  and  was  one  of  the  trustees  of 
the  first  meetinghouse  built  in  the  town.  His 
wife  Tabitha  died  shortly  after  1681,  and  he 
married  (second)  about  1683  Elizabeth,  who 
survived  him.  His  children  were:  Benjamin, 
bom  about  1656 ;  Stephen,  who  married  (first) 
Mary  Denison  and  (second)  Comfort,  widow  of 
Samuel  Belcher,  of  Braintree;  Henry;  John, 
born  in  1658,  in  Dorchester;  Elizabeth,  born  in 
1663,  who  married  (first)  Eleazer  Gilbert,  of 
Taunton,  and  (second)  George  Townsend,  of 
that  same  town;  Ebenezer,  born  in  1665,  who 
married  Mary  Tolman ;  Mary,  born  in  1666, 
who  married  Samuel  Hackett,  of  Taunton; 
Mercy,  born  in  1668;  Samuel,  born  in  1669; 
and  Anna  C,  born  in  1687,  who  removed  to 
Taunton.  Henry  Crane  died  in  Milton  March 
21,  1709. 

It  should  have  been  stated  ere  this  that, 
according  to  Mr.  Ellery  Bicknell  Crane,  the 
Cranes  in  England  are  classed  among  the  fami- 
lies belonging  to  the  County  of  Suffolk.  Though 
numerous  families  bearing  the  name  have  been 
found  residents  of  other  counties  in  Great  Brit- 
ain, it  is  among  the  records  of  Suffolk  County 
that  we  find  delineated  the  long  roll  of  aristo- 
cratic land  holders  in  a  line  of  succession  from 
father  to  son  covering  a  period  of  time  marked 
by  hundreds  of  years.  Here  their  estates  are 
to  be  found  recorded  which  have  been  retained 
in  the  family  for  nearly  three  hundred  years. 

It  will  be  observed  that  some  of  the  imme- 
diate posterity  of  Henry  Crane  located  in  Taun- 
ton, and  the  towns  of  Dighton,  Berkley  and 
Norton  also  became  the  places  of  residence  of 
their  descendants. 

John  Crane,  bom  in  Dorchester,  30  :  11, 1658. 
married  Dec.  13,  1686,  Hannah,  daughter  of 
James  and  Hannah  Leonard,  of  Taunton,  and 
there  became  a  settler,  but  in  1698  had  sold 
his  place  in  Taunton  and  with  his  brother  Ben- 
jamin in  that  year  bought  of  the  heirs  of  Jona- 
than Briggs  a  farm  of  three  hundred  acres  in 
the  South  Purchase  of  Taunton,  now  Berkley, 
which  in  a  few  years  was  divided  in  two  portions 
by  the  two  brothers. 

Benjamin  Crane,  the  brother,  was  a  member 
of  Captain  Johnson's  company  in  King  Philip's 
war  and  was  severely  wounded  in  the  battle  of 
Narragansett  Swamp,  Dec.  19,  1675.  His  death 
occurred  Oct.  13,  1721.  Many  of  the  Crane 
family  of  Berkley  were  his  descendants. 

John  Crane  died  Aug.  5,  1716,  and  Hannah, 
his  wife,  died  Oct.  24,  1760.  Tlieir  children : 
Henry,  Gershom,  Zipporah,  Tabitha  and  John. 


Gershom  Crane,  born  Sept.  3,  1692,  married 
Feb.  27,  1716,  Susanna  Whitmarsh,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Whitmarsh,  then  of  Dighton.  It 
was  at  his  house  that  the  first  meeting  of  the 
town  of  Berkley  was  held  and  of  which  he  was 
the  moderator  in  1735.  He  died  June  23,  1787. 
His  ^vife,  Susanna,  died  Sept.  11,  1770.  Their 
children  were:  Abiah,  1716;  Abel,  1718; 
Ebenezer,  1720;  Hannah,  1722;  Elisha,  1724; 
Gershom,  1728  (died  1732) ;  John,  1731;  Ger- 
shom, 1735;  Jonathan,  1737. 

John  Crane  married  Eachel  Terry  and  was 
a  resident  of  Norton,  and  his  son,  Eev.  John 
Crane,  D.  D.,  born  1756,  was  the  minister  of 
Northbridge  and   died   in   1836. 

Jonathan  Crane,  another  son  of  Gershom,  was 
graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1762,  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Col.  Josiah  Edson,  1770,  and 
practiced  his  profession  of  medicine  in  Bridge- 
water.  His  son,  Daniel  Crane,  was  graduated 
at  Brown  University  in  1796. 

Elisha  Crane,  son  of  Gershom,  born  Dec.  25, 
1724,  married  Thankful  Axtell,  daughter  of 
Daniel -Axtell,  of  Berkley,  Jan.  15,  1774,  and 
lived  at  the  home  of  Daniel  Axtell,  which  was 
established  in  1710  in  the  town  of  Dighton,  now 
Berkley.  Their  children  were:  Betsey,  born 
1775,  married  Benjamin  Hathaway,  1801 ; 
Susannah,  born  1776,  married  Christopher 
Paull,  1802:  Daniel,  born  1777,  died  1805; 
Polly,  born  1779,  married  Dean  Burt,  1806; 
Barzillai  was  born  in  1783.  Elisha  Crane 
died  Nov.  20,  1807.  Thankful  (Axtell)  Crane 
died  Jan.  22,  1832. 

Barzillai  Crane,  born  Feb.  24,  1783,  married 
Jan.  22,  1810,  Lydia  Eddy,  daughter  of  Capt. 
Joshua  Eddy  and  his  wife,  Lydia  (Paddock) 
of  Middleboro,  and  lived  in  Berkley.  Their 
children  were:  Charlotte  Maria,  1811  (died 
1818)  ;  Nancy  A.,  1812  (died  1818)  ;  Susanna 
W.,  1815  (married  Samuel  Breck)  ;  Elisha, 
1817  (died  1843,  a  physician,  unmarried)  ; 
Charlotte  M.,  1820  (died"l841)  ;  Joshua  Eddy, 
1823;  Irene  Lazell.  1826  (married  Dr.  Thomas 
Nichols)  :  Lydia,  1829  (died  1833)  ;  Morton 
Eddv.  1831  "(died  1857,  unmarried).  Lydia 
(Eddy)  Crane  died  Feb.  10,  1842.  Barzillai 
Crane  married  (second)  in  1844  Eliza  Tobey, 
daughter  of  Apollos  and  Hannah  (Crane) 
Tobey,  of  Berkley.  He  died  June  15,  1851. 
Eliza  (Tobey)  Crane,  born  Oct.  29,  1801,  died 
Dec.  9,  1882. 

Mrs.  Lydia  (Eddy)  Crane,  wife  of  Bar- 
zillai, was  born  Dec.  23,  1787,  the  daughter 
of  .Toshua  and  Lydia  (Paddock)  Eddy,  Joshua 
Eddy  being  a  direct  descendant  of  Samuel  Eddy, 
who  was  the  son  of  William  Eddy,  A.  M.,  vicar 
of  St.  Dunstan's  Church,  Cranbrook,  County  of 


646 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Kent,  England,  and  liis  wife  Mary  (Fosten). 
Samuel  Eddy  came  from  Boxted,  County  of 
Suffolk,  England,  to  America  in  the  ship 
"Handmaid"  in  1630,  settling  in  Plymouth, 
where  he  purchased  property  in  1631.  From 
this  Samuel  Eddy  and  his  ^nfe  Elizabeth  the 
descent  of  Lydia  Eddy  is  through  Obadiah  and 
his  wife  Bennet,  Samuel  (2)  and  his  wife  Mela- 
tiah  (Pratt),  Zechariah  iand  his  wife  Mercy 
(Morton),  and  Capt.  Joshua  Eddy  and  his  wife 
Lydia  (Paddock). 

Capt.  Joshua  Eddy  saw  much  hard  service 
in  the  Revolution.  He  entered  the  service,  en- 
listing in  1775,  in  Captain  Benson's  company, 
Colonel  Cotton's  regiment;  was  at  Roxbury, 
Mass.,  during  the  siege  of  Boston,  and  at  the 
battle  of  Breed's  (Bunker)  Hill.  In  1776  he 
was  lieutenant  in  Colonel  Marshall's  regiment 
and  went  to  Castle  island.  He  was  in  the  re- 
treat from  Ticonderoga  and  was  at  Saratoga 
at  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne.  He  then  went 
to  New  Jersey,  was  in  winter  quarters  with 
General  Washington,  and  was  at  the  battle  of 
Monmouth.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  was 
extensively  engaged  in  various  kinds  of  business. 
He  was  a  man  of  unusual  energy.  For  many 
years  he  was  a  deacon  in  the  church  of  his 
community.     He  died  in  1833. 

Joshua  Eddy  Crane,  son  of  Barzillai  and 
Lydia  (Eddy)  Crane,  was  born  July  9,  1823, 
in  the  town  of  Berkley,  Mass.,  and  in  both  the 
public  and  private  schools  of  his  native  town 
acquired  his  education.  Desiring  to  enter  busi- 
ness he  at  sixteen  years  of  age  began  preparation 
for  it  in  the  office  of  a  commission  merchant  in 
New  York  City.  Later,  in  1844,  he  was  at 
Bridgewater  %vith  his  uncle,  Morton  Eddy,  who 
retired  from  the  firm  in  1848.  Thereafter 
while  in  active  business  the  concern  was  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  Crane.  A  man  of  ability,  good 
judgment,  one  successful  in  the  management 
of  his  own  business  affairs,  Mr.  Crane  was  soon 
found  by  his  fellow  citizens  to  possess  the  quali- 
ties required  in  the  same,  and  as  a  conservative 
public  man  was  often  sought  and  long  continued 
in  public  official  service.  He  cast  his  first  vote 
in  1844  for  the  candidates  of  the  Liberty  party, 
having  been  present  at  the  organization  of  that 
party  at  Boston.  He  soon  became  active  polit- 
ically in  local  affairs.  He  was  a  delegate  to 
the  Worcester  convention,  at  which  Judge 
Charles  Allen  presided,  and  at  which  was  or- 
ganized the  Republican  party  in  Massachusetts. 
For  many  years  he  was  chairman  of  the  Repub- 
lican town  committee  of  Bridgewater  and  also 
a  member  of  the  State  Republican  committee. 
In  1857  he  was  a  representative  for  the  town  in 
the   General   Court.      On  the  breaking  out   of 


the  Civil  war,  in  1861,  when  party  lines  were 
almost  obliterated,  he  was  chosen  senator  from 
the  South  Plymouth  district,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing year  was  almost  unanimously  again  elected 
to  that  body,  the  Democrats  making  no  nomi- 
nation against  him.  While  in  the  Senate  he 
had  the  honor  of  taking  part  in  the  election  of 
Ion.  Charles  Siimner  to  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate from  Massachusetts.  In  the  Senate  he 
served  on  the  committees  on  Claims  and  on 
Mercantile  Affairs  and  Insurance.  He  was 
town  clerk  of  Bridgewater  for  several  years, 
from  1855  to  1858  inclusive,  and  in  1873  and 
1874.  For  more  than  thirty  years  he  was  in 
various  capacities  connected  with  the  Plymouth 
County  Agricultural  Society,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  was  treasurer  and  member  of  the  board 
of  trustees  of  that  society.  On  the  occasion  of 
the  celebration  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
the  society,  Sept.  30,  1869,  he  delivered  the 
historical  address.  For  a  dozen  and  more  years 
he  served  as  chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees 
of  the  State  Workhouse  at  Bridgewater  and  for 
twenty  and  more  years  was  a  trustee  of  the 
Bridgewater  Academy,  and  was  active  in  the 
erection  of  the  present  school  building. 

For  upward  of  twenty-five  years  Mr.  Crane 
was  a  correspondent  for  the  newspapers  of 
Bridgewater  and  vicinity,  writing  many  sketches 
of  interest  to  those  of  antiquarian  tastes.  He 
prepared  the  sketch  of  the  town  of  Bridgewater 
contained  in  the  History  of  Plymouth  county 
published  in  1884.  His  religious  faith  was  that 
of  the  Central  Square  Congregational  Church 
in  Bridgewater,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  and 
he  was  chairman  of  the  building  committee  at 
the  time  of  the  erection  of  the  present  churcli 
edifice. 

On  Jan.  9,  1849,  Mr.  Crane  was  married  to 
r>ucy  Ann  Reed,  bom  Sept.  25,  1825,  daughter 
of  the  late  Quincy  and  Lucy  (Loud)  Reed,  of 
Weymouth,  Mass.,  and  their  children  were: 
Joshua  Eddy,  1850 ;  Cliarles  Reed,  1852  (mar- 
ried Jane  E.  Keith)  ;  Lucy  Reed,  1854  (died 
1856)  ;  Morton  Eddy,  1857  (of  Washington, 
D.  C.) ;  Henry  Lovell,  1860;  Anna  Howe,  1862 
(married  Charles  A.  Drew,  M.  D.)  ;  Edward 
Appleton,  1865  (died  1887).  Joshua  E.  Crane 
died  in  Bridgewater  Aug.  5,  1888 ;  Lucy  Ann 
(Reed)    Crane  died   Sept.   24,  1898. 

Quincy  Reed,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Crane,  de'- 
scended  from  William  Reade,  who  settled  in 
WejTuouth  in  1635,  from  whom  his  descent  is 
through  Thomas  Reed  and  his  wife  Sarah 
(Bicknell)  ;  John  Reed  and  his  wife  Sarah 
(Whitmarsh"!  :  John  Reed  (2)  and  his  wife 
Marv  (Bate)  and  Ezra  Reed  and  his  wife  Mary 
(Lovell). 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


647 


Joshua  Eddy  Cbane  (2),  son  of  Joshua 
Eddy  and  Lucy  Ann  (Eeed)  Crane,  was  born 
•Oct.  1,  1850,  in  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  and  there 
■educated  in  the  public  schools  of  the  place  and 
at  the  Bridgewater  Academy,  then  under  tlie 
instruction  of  Mr.  Horace  M.  Willard.  He 
furthered  his  studies  at  Brown  University,  from 
■which  he  was  graduated  in  1872.  Mr.  Crane 
was  preceptor  of  Bridgewater  Academy,  1873- 
75;  principal  of  the  English  preparatory  de- 
partment of  the  Syrian  Protestant  College, 
Beirut,  Syria,  1876-79 ;  subsequently  was  em- 
ployed as  a  private  tutor;  and  was  in  charge 
•of  the  Latin  classes  of  Albany  Academy,  Al- 
hany,  N.  Y.,  until  1884,  when  he  became 
librarian  of  the  Young  Men's  Association  of 
Albany.  In  1887  he  accepted  the  position  of 
•associate  principal  of  the  Portland  Latin  School 
at  Portland,  Maine,  but  in  1890  resumed  his 
former  position  at  the  library,  from  which  he 
withdrew  in  1892.  He  is  at  this  time  librarian 
■of  the  Public  Library  of  Taunton.  He  is  an 
officer  of  the  Old  Colony  Historical  Society 
and  of  the  Old  Bridgewater  Historical  Society. 
Mr.  Crane  married  Jan.  1,  1884,  Katharine 
Perkins,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Amelia  (Sher- 
man) Perkins,  of  Bridgewater. 

Henry  Lovell  Crane,  son  of  the  late  Joshua 
Eddy  Crane  and  his  wife  Lucy  A.  (Reed),  was 
"born  Jan.  31,  1860,  in  Bridgewater,  Mass.  Here 
in  the  public  schools  and  Bridgewater  Academy 
he  acquired  his  education.  At  the  age  of  six- 
teen he  entered  the  mercantile  store  of  his 
father  at  Bridgewater  and  by  close  application, 
and  industry,  under  the  father's  oversight  he  be- 
•came  thoroughly  versed  in  all  that  pertained  to 
•careful,  painstaking,  judicious  business  meth- 
■ods.  On  the  death  of  his  father,  in  1888,  young 
Crane  associated  with  him  in  the  continuance 
•of  the  business  Henry  T.  Burrill,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Crane  &  Burrill,  a  business  partner- 
ship that  lasted  through  the  remaining  years 
of  the  life  of  the  junior  member  of  the  firm ; 
and  as  a  business  house  its  standing  was  second 
to  none  in  Bridgewater. 

■  As  had  been  his  father  before  him,  Mr.  Crane 
■was  greatly  interested  in  the  public  affairs  of 
his  native  town,  and  as  a  good  citizen  when 
called  to  public  duty  performed  it  to  the  best 
of  his  ability  and  judgment,  which  always 
meant  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  fellow  citizens 
and  to-wnsmen.  Elected  town  clerk  in  1886  and 
■treasurer  in  1887,  he  was  each  year  successively 
reelected  to  these  offices  up  to  the  time  of  his 
■decease.  Endowed  with  much  natural  ability, 
sharpened  by  business  experience  and  reading, 
possessing  pleasing  and  accommodating  social 
qualities,  he  won  and  held  the  esteem  and  re- 


spect of  his  community.  He  was  well  fitted  for 
that  social  and  useful  citizenship  he  filled.  He 
was  an  active  and  intelligent  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity;  was  past  master  of  Fellow- 
ship Lodge,  of  Bridgewater,  past  high  priest  oi 
Harmony  Chapter,  and  a  member  of  Bay  State 
Commandery,  at  Brockton,  Mass.  He  was  also 
a  member  of  Pioneer  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  of 
Bridgewater,  and  held  the  rank  in  it  of  noble 
grand. 

In  1884_Mr.  Crane  was  married  to  Lizzie  A. 
Cole,  daughter  of  Mr.  Charles  H.  Cole,  of 
Brockton,  Mass.  His  death  occurred  March 
16,  1905. 

HENRY  PERKINS  was  a  well-known  iron 
manufacturer  and  biisiness  man  of  Bridgewater. 
His  ancestral  line  is  traced  from  Abraham  Per- 
kins, one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Hampton,  N. 
H.,  who  was  nlade  a  freeman  May  13,  1640. 
He  was  a  man  of  good  education  and  was  much 
employed  in  the  service  of  the  town.  He  died 
Aug.  31,  1683,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two.  His 
widow,  Mary,  died  May  29,  1706,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-eight.  The  will  of  Abraham  Perkins, 
dated  Aug.  22,  1683,  and  probated  Sept.  18, 
1683,  contains  the  names  of  his  wife  and  sons 
Jonathan,  Humphrey,  James,  Luke  and  David. 
To  the  last  two  were  given  five  shillings  each,  as 
they  had  already  received  their  share.  The 
names  of  the  children  of  Abraham  Perkins 
were:  Mary,  Abraham,  Luke,  Humphrey, 
James,  Timothy,  James  (2),  Jonathan,  David, 
Abigail,  Timothy  (2),  Sarah  and  Humphrey 
(2). 

David  Perkins,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Hamp- 
ton. N.  H.,  was  born  Feb.  28,  1653,  settled  in 
Beverly  about  1673,  married  Elizabeth  Brown, 
daughter  of  Francis  Brown,  of  Beverly,  1675- 
76,  and  in  1688  became  a  resident  of  Bridge- 
water,  in  that  part  of  the  town  whicli  became 
ilie  South  Precinct.  In  1694  he  built  the  first 
mill  at  the  site  of  the  iron  works  of  Messrs. 
Lazell,  Perkins  &  Co.,  known  afterwards  as  the 
Bridgewater  Iron  Company,  and  was  engaged 
in  the  occupation  of  blacksmith.  He  was  the 
first  representative  of  the  town  in  the  General 
Court  at  Boston  after  the  union  of  the  Col- 
onies of  Plymouth  and  Massachusetts,  in  1692, 
and  served  also  in  this  capacity  in  1694,  and 
from  1704  to  1707,  inclusive.  His  death  oc- 
curred Oct.  1,  1736.  His  wife,  who  was  born 
Oct.  17,  1654,  died  July  14,  1735.  In  his  will 
of  June  17,  1736,  he  names  his  sons:  David, 
Abraham,  Thomas,  sole  executor,  and  Nathan, 
deceased,  and  grandchildren:  David  and  Jona- 
than, children  of  his  son  David,  and  Nathan, 
Timothy,  James,  Solomon,  Martha  and  Silence, 


648 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


children  of  Nathan.  His  children  were :  Mary, 
David,  Nathan  and  Thomas,  who  resided  in 
Bridgewater;  and  Abraham,  who  became  a  set- 
tler in  Kingston,  R.  I.,  and  died  in  1746. 

Thomas  Perkins,  son  of  David  and  Elizabeth 
Perkins,  was  born  in  Bridgewater  May  8,  1688. 
He  married  Feb.  20,  1717,  Mary  Washburn, 
supposed  to  be  the  daughter  of  James  and  Mary 
(Bowden)  Washburn,  of  Bridgewater,  and  lived 
near  the  site  of  the  present  iron  works.  Their 
children  were:  Mary,  born  1718,  married  Jo- 
siah  Hayward,  1742;  Hepzibah,  born  1720,  mar- 
ried Elezer  Carver,  1746;,  Thomas,  born  1722, 
married  Mary  Pratt,  1748;  Charles,  born  1724, 
died  1726;  Ebenezer,  born  1727,  is  mentioned 
below;  Francis,  born  1729,  married  Susanna 
Waterman,  1762,  and  Phillibert  Keith,  1775. 
The  wife  of  Thomas  Perkins,  Mary  (Wash- 
burn) Perkins,  died  April  23,  1750,  and  he 
died  June  5,  1761. 

Ebenezer  Perkins,  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Washburn)  Perkins,  born  April  20,  1727,  mar- 
ried Feb.  28,  1751,  Experience  Holmes.  Their 
children  were:  Ebenezer,  born  1752;  Mary, 
born  1753;  Holmes,  born  1757;  Hepzibah,  born 
1759;  Susanna,  born  1764;  Nancy,  born  1769 
(who  married  Rufus  Leach).  Ebenezer  Per- 
kins, the  father,  died  May  31,  1770. 

Ebenezer  Perkins,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Ex- 
perience (Holmes)  Perkins,  born  in  1752,  mar- 
ried Mary  Pratt,  daughter  of  Solomon  and 
Mary  (Keith)  Pratt,  in  1782.  Their  children 
were:  Ebenezer,  born  1783  (died  1784) ;  Mary 
K.,  1784  (died  1786)  ;  Daniel,  1786;  Thomas, 
1788;  Solomon,  1790;  Aaron,  1792;  Oman, 
1794;  Minerva,  1796;  Ebenezer,  1798;  Simeon, 
1801;  Mary  K.,  1802;  Ozias,  1804.  Ebenezer 
Perkins,  the  father,  died  in  1833..^  Mary 
(Pratt)  Perkins,  the  mother,  died  in  1849. 

Ebenezer  Perkins,  the  father,  was  an  active 
patriot  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  The  rec- 
ords of  Massachusetts  give  the  following: 
"Ebenezer  Perkins,  of  Bridgewater,  private, 
Capt.  James  Allen's  company.  Col.  Simeon 
Cary's  regiment,  pay  abstract  for  mileage  dated, 
'Camp  near  New  York,  Aug.  9,  1776,'  mileage 
for  251  miles  allowed  the  said  Perkins,  private; 
also  Capt.  Nathaniel  Packard's  company.  Col. 
Thomas  Carpenter's  regiment,  entered  service 
July  25,  1778,  discharged  Sept.  9,  1778— ser- 
vice one  month  and  sixteen  days,  at  Rhode 
Island.  Roll  sworn  to  at  Plymt)uth.  Was  also 
among  the  descriptive  list  of  men  raised  in 
Plymouth  county  in  1779  to  serve  in  the  Con- 
tinental army,  aged  twenty-seven  years,  stature 
six  feet,  complexion  dark.  Engaged  for  town 
of  Bridgewater;  reported  delivered  to  Capt.  L. 
Bailey.     Was   also  private,   Capt.  L.   Bailey's 


company,  Colonel  Bailey's  (2)  regiment;  en- 
tered service  July  25,  1779,  discharged  April 
25,  1780,  term  nine  months.  Was  also  among 
a  descriptive  list  of  men  raised  to  reinforce  the 
Continental  army  for  the  term  of  six  months, 
agreeable  to  resolve  of  June  5,  1780;  returned 
as  received  of  Justin  Ely,  commissioner,  by 
Brig.  Gen.  John  Glover,  at  Springfield  Aug.  2, 
1780,  aged  twenty-eight  years,  stature  six  feet, 
complexion  dark,  engaged  for  town  of  Bridge- 
water,  arrived  at  Springfield  July  31,  1780, 
marched  to  camp  Aug.  2,  1780,  under  command 
of  Lieut.  Benjamin  Pike.  Was  also  among  the 
list  of  men  raised  for  the  six  months'  service 
and  returned  by  Brigadier  General  Paterson 
as  having  passed  muster  in  a  return  dated  Oct. 
25,  1780 ;  was  commissioned  corporal.  Pay  roll 
for  six  months'  men  raised  by  the  town  of 
Bridgewater  for  service  in  the  Continental  army 
at  West  Point  during  1780,  marched  July  12, 
1780,  discharged  Jan.  13,  1781,  service  six 
months  and  thirteen  days,  including  travel 
(240  miles)  home." 

Solomon  Perkins,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Mary 
(Pratt)  Perkins,  was  a  native  of  Bridgewater, 
born  May  16,  1790,  and  there  Feb.  14,  1813, 
married  Clarissa  Robinson,  daughter  of  Dyer 
Robinson  and  his  wife  Abigail  (Stetson).  To 
this  union  were  born:  Henry,  1814;  Charles 
Robinson,  1816;  William  Franklin,  1818; 
George  Sproat,  1820 ;  Ebenezer,  1826 ;  Mary  K. 
and  Martha  H.,  twins,  1828;  Alfred  Holmes, 
1830.  He  was  long  engaged  as  a  foundryman 
in  the  works  of  Messrs.  Lazell,  Perkins  &  Co. 
He  died  Feb.  26,  1880,  and  his  wife  died  Oct. 
13,  1859. 

Henry  Perkins,  a  son  of  Solomon  and  Clarissa 
(Robinson)  Perkins,  was  born  in  Bridgewater 
April  25,  1814.  In  the  maternal  line  of  de- 
scent he  was  a  grandson  of  Dyer  Robinson  of 
Bridgewater,  a  forgeman  in  the  iron  works  of 
Messrs.  Lazell,  Perkins  &  Co.,  and  was  a  nephew 
of  Increase,  Dyer,  Gad  and  Jacob  Robinson, 
long  associated  with  the  iron  works  in  Bridge- 
water,  and  of  Charles  and  Enoch  Robinson,  of 
the  Old  Colony  Iron  Works  of  Taunton.  Mr. 
Perkins  received  his  early  training  in  the  pub- 
lie  schools  of  his  native  place  and  at  Bridge- 
water  Academy,  and  at  an  early  age  entered  upon 
the  occupation  of  an  iron  worker  and  foundry- 
man  with  employment  at  Bridgewater,  Swanzey 
and  in  the  Hudson  Valley.  In  1847,  about 
the  time  of  his  marriage,  Mr.  Perkins  estab- 
lished an  iron  foundry  in  Bridgewater  near 
the  site  of  the  cotton  gin  factory  of  Messrs. 
Bates,  Hyde  &  Co.,  now  the  Continental  Gin 
Company  factory,  and  soon  after  the  period  of 
the  Civil  war  erected  a  spacious  foundry-  and 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


649 


machine  shop  on  the  line  of  the  Old  Colony 
railroad,  now  the  New  York,  New  Haven  & 
Hartford  railroad,  which  has  ever  held  an  im- 
portant place  in  the  maniifacturing  establish- 
ments of  the  town.  Mr.  Perkins  possessed  a 
profound  knowledge  of  the  history  and  devel- 
opment of  the  iron  industry  and  with  the  eye 
of  an  expert  gave  attention  to  every  requirement 
of  his  office  and  to  the  operations  and  products 
of  his  foundry.  For  many  years  the  large  an- 
nual production  of  pianoforte  frames,  the  in- 
ventions of  the  Chickerings  and  other  manufac- 
turers, included  much  of  the  workmanship  of 
this  foundry  and  established  its  reputation  for 
the  production  of  work  of  the  best  quality  of 
American  iron  and  illustrative  of  the  perfec- 
tion of  the  art  of  casting.  For  many  years  also 
Mr.  Perkins  was  interested  in  the  prosperity  of 
the  Eagle  Cotton  Gin  Company  of  Bridge- 
water,  which  gave  emplojrment  to  a  large  num- 
ber of  men,  and  for  a  long  period  held  the  posi- 
tion of  president  of  the  company.  Interested 
in  public  affairs,  he  did  not  seek  or  hold  political 
office,  but  devoted  himself  to  the  demands  of 
his  occupation,  and  remained  in  active  business 
life-  for  more  than  sixty  years. 

As  a  man  of  untiring  energy  and  honorable 
business  methods  he  was  enabled  to  achieve  suc- 
cess in  his  undertakings  and  was  respected  and 
esteemed  by  those  who  were  in  his  employ,  and 
by  the  members  of  the  community  of  which  he 
was  a  benefactor.  He  will  long  be  remembered 
for  his  spirit  of  benevolence  and  for  the  quali- 
ties of  heart  which  endeared  him  to  his  family 
and  associates.  His  death  occurred  March  24, 
1901. 

Mr.  Perkins  married  July  16,  1848.  Amelia 
Bartlett  Sherman,  daughter  of  Aaron  Simmons 
aid  Lydia  (Whitney)  Sherman,  of  Bridgewater. 
Their  children  were:  Ralph,  born  March  26, 
1849 ;  Katharine,  Oct.  6,  1851 ;  Henry,  Nov.  24, 
1853  (died  Dec.  12,  1854)  ;  Annie,  Jan.  24, 
1855  (died  July  2,  1858)  ;  Clara,  May  11,  1856 
(died  May  24,  1888)  ;  Ebenezer,  March  27, 
1859;  Charles,  March  24,  1862;  Amelia,  June 
16,  1864 ;  Enoch,  Oct.  24,  1866 ;  Harry  K.,  Aug. 
11,  1868;  Saba,  Sept.  7,  1869. 

SLADE.  (I)  William  Slade,  the  first  of 
the  line  in  this  country,  is  said  to  have  been 
bom  in  Wales,  Great  Britain,  the  son  of  Ed- 
ward, of  whom  nothing  seems  to  be  known 
more  than  that  he  died.  This  family  is  said 
to  have  come  from  Somersetshire,  England, 
probably  being  of  Wales  only  a  short  time. 
William  appears  of  record  at  Newport,  R.  I., 
in  1659.  when  admitted  a  freeman  of  the  Col- 
ony.    He  became  an  early  settler  in  the  Shaw- 


omet  Purchase  or  Shawomet  Lands,  which  in- 
cluded that  part  of  Swansea  which  later  be- 
came the  town  of  Somerset.  Mr.  Slade  located 
in  Swansea  as  early  as  1680,  the  year  of  the 
beginning  of  the  first  record  book,  and  the 
meetings  of  the  proprietors  were  held  at  his 
house  after  their  discontinuance  at  Plymouth, 
in  1677.  Mr.  Slade  was  a  large  landholder, 
his  possessions  including  the  ferry  across 
Taunton  river  which  took  his  name,  Slade's 
ferry,  and  which  remained  in  the  family  until 
the  river  was  bridged  in  1876,  and  it  was  last 
operated  by  William  L.  and  Jonathan  Slade. 
Mr.  Slade  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Obadiah  Holmes,  of  Rehoboth.  He  died  March 
30,  1729,  aged  sixty-seven  years;  Sarah,  his 
widow,  died  Sept.  10,  1761,  aged  ninety-seven, 
and  her  descendants  numbered  435  at  that 
time.  Of  their  ten  children  three  were  sons: 
Mary,  born  in  May,  1689;  William,  born  in 
1692;  Edward,  born  June  14,  1694;  Eliza- 
beth, bom  Dec.  3,  1695;  Hannah,  born  July 
15,  1697;  Sarah;  Martha,  bora  Feb.  27,  1699; 
Phebe,  born  Sept.  25,  1701;  Jonathan,  born 
Aug.  3,  1703  (died  aged  about  eighteen) ; 
Lydia,  born  Oct.  8,  1706. 

(II)  Edward  Slade,  son  of  William,  born 
June  14,  1694,  married  (first)  in  1717  Eliza- 
beth Anthony,  (second)  Dec.  6,  1720,  Phebe, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Sherman) 
Chase,  and  (third)  Deborah  Buffum.  They 
were  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  His 
children  were  born  as  follows:  By  the  first 
marriage — William,  Sept.  25,  1718;  by  the 
second  marriage — Samuel,  Sept.  26,  1721 ; 
Elizabeth,  April  29,  1723;  Joseph,  Nov.  16, 
1724;  Sarah,  in  February,  1726;  by  the  third 
marriage — Edward,  Jr.,  Nov.  11,  1728;  Philip, 
April  19,  1730;  Phebe,  July  4,  1737:  Mercy, 
in  1744. 

(III)  Edward  Slade,  Jr.,  son  of  Edward 
and  Deborah  (Buffum)  Slade,  bom  Nov.  11, 
1728,  married  June  4,  1756,  Lydia  Baker,  his 
cousin,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Lydia 
(Slade)  Baker.  Children:  Baker,  bom  Sept. 
20,  1759;  John;  Edward;  Sarah;  Phebe. 

(IV)  Baker  Slade,  son  of  Edward,  Jr.,  born 
Sept.  20,  1759,  married  March  18,  1784,  Han- 
nah, daughter  of  Capt.  Mial  Pierce  and  his 
wife  Hepsibeth  (Mason),  of  Swansea  and 
Somerset,  Mass.  They  were  farming  people 
of  Somerset.  Their  ten  children  were  born 
as  follows:  Lydia,  April  1,  1785;  Edward,  Jan. 
8,  1787;  JohiQ,  Sept.  17,  1789;  Jonathan,  Oct. 
27,  1791;  Mial,  April  13,  1793;  Elizabeth, 
March  8,  1795:  Philip,  March  17,  1797;  Han- 
nah, Feb.  15,  1799;  Sarah,  April,  1801;  Levi, 
Aug.  29,  1804. 


«50 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


(V)  John  Slade  married  Phebe  Pierce,  of 
Somerset,  and  they  were  farming  people  of 
Swansea  and  Somerset,  Mass.  Among  their 
■children  were  sons:  Pierce,  John  and  Edmund. 
The  father  of  these  died  at  the  early  age  of 
twenty-seven  and  the  widow  married  (second) 
Wing  Eddy  and  several  children  were  born  to 
"them.     Mrs.  Eddy  lived  to  advanced  years. 

(VI)  Jolin  Slade  (2)  married  his  cousin, 
Mary,  daughter  of  Edward  Slade  (above). 
They  were  farming  people  and  both  died  com- 
paratively young,  Mr.  Slade  when  twenty-seven 
;and  Mrs.  Slade  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine  years. 
Their  children  were :  Winslow,  wlio  was  lost 
at  sea;  John  Palmer;  Edward  and  Mary,  the 
two  latter  being  twins  who  died  in  infancy. 

(VII)  John  Palmer  Slade,  son  of  John 
and  Mary  (Slade)  Slade,  was  born  Nov.  13, 
1824,  in  Somerset,  Mass.  His  father  dying 
•when  he  was  but  three  years  of  age,  and  his 
mother  when  he  was  fourteen,  he  made  his 
home  with  the  family  of  Capt.  Eobert  Gibbs, 
■a  farmer  of  Somerset.  He  was  given  a  com- 
mon school  education  and  for  a  period  at- 
tended Myers  Academy  at  Warren,  R.  I.  The 
•conditions  about  his  early  years  prompted  that 
spirit  of  self-reliance  and  independence  that 
no  doubt  led  to  the  great  success  he  attained 
in  life.  Early  thrown  upon  his  own  resources, 
by  his  energy  and  perseverance  he  soon  ac- 
quired a  reputation  among  his  associates  for 
■enterprise  and  correct  business  methods.  In 
1841  he  entered  upon  what  proved  to  be  a 
prosperous  career  as  a  clerk  in  a  grocery  and 
■drug  store  in  Fall  River.  Remaining  so  oc- 
cupied for  some  eight  months,  he  then  went 
to  the  South  in  the  capacity  of  a  clerk  in 
the  establishment  of  his  cousin  Mr.  F.  P. 
Cummings,  becoming  a  few  months  later  a 
partner  in  the  business — that  of  general  mer- 
chandise and  cotton.  Two  years  later  Mr. 
Slade  purchased  his  partner's  interest,  settled 
up  the  business  and  returned  to  Fall  River, 
where  he  ever  afterward  resided  and  prospered. 
This  was  in  the  late  forties  and  for  the  suc- 
ceeding seven  years  he  was  clerk  and  con- 
ductor for  the  Fall  River  Railroad  Company, 
it  later  becoming  the  Old  Colony  Company. 
From  1855  to  1858  he  was  clerk  and  salesman 
for  Mr.  Hale  Remington,  who  was  a  general 
commission  merchant.  In  1858  he  himself 
became  engaged  in  this  line  of  effort,  estab- 
lishing a  wholesale  commission  and  insurance 
business  in  which  he  continued,  and  with  suc- 
cess, the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  son  Leon- 
ard N.  Slade  became  associated  with  him  as 
partner  in  the  business  in  1879,  the  firm  name 
becoming  John  P.  Slade  &  Son. 


As  the  cotton  manufacturing  industry  be- 
gan to  develop  in  New  England,  Mr.  Slade, 
with  other  progressive  citizens,  recognizing  the 
admirable  facilities  afforded  by  the  water  power 
of  Fall  River,  gave  an  encouraging  support  to 
all  new  enterprises  for  the  manufacture  of  cot- 
ton goods.  In  1863  he  was  one  of  the  original 
subscribers  to  the  Granite  Mills  corporation, 
which  was  organized  in  his  oflBce  and  in  which 
he  served  as  director.  When  the  Davol  Mills 
were  organized  in  1867  he  became  one  of  the 
directors;  he  assisted  in  establishing  the  Shove 
Mills  in  1872  and  was  made  a  director  and  the 
first  treasurer;  he  also  served  as  president  of 
this  corporation  from  1875  to  1880.  For  sev- 
eral years  he  was  a  director  of  the  Weetamoe 
Mills  and  from  1881  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death  he  was  president  of  the  Laurel  Lake 
Mills.  In  all  of  these  great  enterprises  Mr. 
Slade  displayed  marked  executive  and  admin- 
istrative ability.  For  upward  of  forty  years 
Mr.  Slade  was  secretary  of  the  Five  Cents  Sav- 
ings Bank  (of  which  he  was  vice-president  to 
the  time  of  his  death),  an  institution  that  has 
been  of  the  greatest  usefulness  to  the  city  and 
now  carries  deposits  to  the  amount  of  approxi- 
mately $5,000,000.  From  1865  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death  Mr.  Slade  was  a  director  of  the 
Fall  River  National  Bank,  the  oldest  financial 
institution  in  Fall  River.  In  all  of  these  many 
and  varied  positions  he  filled  and  in  the  many 
corporations  with  which  he  was  identified  he 
displayed  rare  good  judgment,  energy  and  en- 
terprise. In  1856-57  Mr.  Slade  served  as  a 
Republican  member  of  the  board  of  aldermen, 
having  in  the  previous  year,  1855,  when  the 
city  was  one  year  old,  been  a  member  of  the 
common  council.  He  was  again  an  alderman 
in  1860  and  a  common  councilman  in  the  years 
1866,  1867,  1877  and  1878.  He  was  a  charter 
member  of  King  Philip  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
a  member  of  Fall  River  Chapter,  R.  A.  M., 
Fall  River  Council,  R.  &  S.  M.,  and  a  charter 
member  of  Godfrey  de  Bouillon  Commandery, 
K.  T.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  First 
Congregational  parish.  Mr.  Slade  died  June 
12,  1902,  aged  seventy-seven  years,  seven 
months. 

Mr.  Slade  married  (first)  Sarah  L.,  daugh- 
ter of  Martin  and  Mary  Lewin,  of  Somerset, 
Mass..  who  died  soon  thereafter.  He  subse- 
quently married  (second)  Ruth  Ann  Gardner, 
daughter  of  Preserved  S.  and  Ann  Maria 
Ganiner,  of  Swansea,  Mass.,  and  after  her 
death  he  married  (third),  Jan.  28,  1858,  Lois 
A.,  daughter  of  Moses  and  Ruth  B.  (Slade) 
Buffinton,  of  Swansea.  Two  sons,  Leonard  N". 
and  Abbott  E.,  were  born  to  the  second  mar- 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


651 


riage ;  and  by  the  third  he  had :  Mary  E.,  born 
Sept.  26,  1859;  Benjamin,  born  Dec.  10,  1860, 
who  died  Oct.  7,  1861;  John  Milton,  born 
June  12,  1864,  who  died  March  23,  1868;  and 
Louis  Palmer,  born  March  14,  1873. 

(VIII)  Leonard  N.  Slade,  born  Feb.  11, 
1852,  son  of  John  Palmer  and  Ruth  Ann 
(Gardner)  Slade,  married  Emma  F.  Peckham, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Peckham,  of  Newport. 
Their  children  were:  Everett  N.,  who  married 
Asenath  Borden,  daughter  of  Jerome  Borden; 
Zetta  Lois,  who  married  Charles  E.  Chace; 
John  P.,  who  died  young;  and  Francis  C.  Mr. 
Slade  is  connected  with  the  John  P.  Slade  & 
Sons  Company. 

(VIII)  Abbott  E.  Slade,  son  of  John 
Palmer  and  Ruth  Ann  (Gardner)  Slade,  was 
born  on  Bank  street,  Fall  River,  Dec.  14,  1853. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Fall 
Eiver,  where  he  prepared  for  entrance  to  the 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology,  at  Bos- 
ton, he  matriculating  at  that  institution  in 
the  fall  of  1871.  Here  he  continued  the  regu- 
lar course  of  study  of  the  institute  for  three 
and  a  half  years,  and  to  within  one-half  year 
of  graduation,  when  a  severe  attack  of  typhoid 
fever  made  it  seem  inadvisable  to  continue  his 
studies.  He  then  engaged  in  work  as  a  civil 
engineer,  being  for  about  one  year  with  two 
or  three  engineers  of  the  city,  and  for  a  few 
months  in  the  city  engineers  office.  From  this 
employment  he  went  into  the  engineering  de- 
partment of  the  Fall  River  waterworks,  being 
there  part  of  the  time  employed  as  general 
service  man.  He  then  became  clerk  to  the  city 
treasurer,  and  continued  thus  until  the  fall  of 
1881,  when  he  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  Lau- 
rel Lake  Mills,  his  father  at  that  time  being 
president  of  the  company.  With  the  exception 
of  two  years,  1899  and  1900,  he  has  continued 
in  that  position  to  the  present  time.  During 
the  two  years  1899-1900  he  was  engaged  in 
the  cotton  brokerage  business.  Mr.  Slade  is 
a  director  of  the  Laurel  Lake  Mills.  He  has 
been  a  Republican  in  politics  but  not  active  in 
such  matters.  He  is  a  member  of  King  Philip 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Fall  River,  of  which 
he  was  secretary  for  a  number  of  years ;  of 
Fall  River  Royal  Arch  Chapter;  of  Fall  River 
Council,  R.  &  S.  M.,  and  of  Godfrey  de  Bouil- 
lon Commandery,  Fall  River,  of  which  he  is  a 
past  commander.  He  belongs  to  the  First 
Congregational  Church  Society  of  Fall  River. 

Mr.  Slade  married  Cora  Lynn  Chase,  daugh- 
ter of  George  D.  and  Sarah  M.  Chase,  of 
Providence,  and  they  have  one  son,  Harold 
Chapin,  born  in  Fall  River  April  26,  1885. 

(VIII)  Mary  E.  Slade,  born  Sept.  26,  1859, 


daughter  of  John  Palmer  and  Lois  A.  (Buf- 
finton)  Slade,  married  June  14,  1882,  Horace 
W.  Tinkham,  son  of  Andrew  L.  and  Dorothy 
(King)  Tinkham.  They  make  their  home  on 
their  large  farm  on  Touisset  Neck,  Warren, 
R.  I.  Their  children  are:  Henry  Buffinton, 
born  June  14,  1883,  who  married  Helen, 
daughter  of  George  and  Lavinia  Marvel,  bom 
Aug.  13,  1884,  and  they  have  a  daughter,  Dor- 
othy Lavinia,  born  July  1,  1909;  George  King, 
born  Aug.  13,  1885;  Marion  Lois,  born  Jan. 
19.  1888;  and  Corrella  Whitridge,  born  Feb. 
3,   1889. 

(VIII)  Louis  Palmer  Slade,  born  March 
14,  1873,  son  of  John  Palmer  and  Lois  A. 
(Buffinton)  Slade,  married  April  2,  1901, 
Charlotte  Keach  Boone.  Their  children  are: 
Virginia,  born  Feb.  13,  1903 ;  Benjamin,  born 
April  11,  1905;  John  Milton,  born  May  17, 
1907.  Mr.  Slade  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Fall  River,  graduated  from  the  high 
school,  from  Williams  College  with  the  class 
of  1893,  and  pursued  post  graduate  work  at 
Harvard.  He  spent  a  year  in  European  travel 
and  was  in  attendance  at  the  University  of 
Berlin  during  the  winter  semester  of  1895-96. 
In  1898  he  became  instructor  in  history  in  the 
Fall  River  high  school.  In  1905  he  became 
principal  of  the  high  school  at  Chicopee,  Mass., 
and  has  since  been  instrumental  in  establishing 
an  industrial  department  in  that  school.  While 
at  Williams  College  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Delta  Upsilon  fraternity,  and  was  elected  to 
the  Phi  Beta  Kappa. 

JONAS  REYNOLDS,  one  of  the  well-kno\\'n 
shoe  manufacturers  of  Brockton,  is  one  of  the 
city's  substantial  and  respected  citizens — one 
whose  whole  life  has  been  spent  in  the  com- 
munity where  his  honored  ancestors  for  several 
generations  before  him  were  numbered  among 
the  industrious  residents  of  the  locality.  Mr. 
Reynolds  was  born  at  Marshall's  Corner,  North 
Bridgewater  (now  Brockton),  Mass.,  in  the 
same  house  where  he  now  resides,  which  house 
was  built  by  his  father.  The  history  of  this  use- 
ful citizen  and  that  of  his  family  follows,  the 
generations  being  given  in  chronological  order. 

(I)  Robert  Reynolds  appears  in  Boston  as 
early  as  1632  and  is  believed  to  have  been  bom 
in  England.  He  joined  the  church  in  Boston 
Aug.  10,  1634.  He  is  mentioned  Sept.  3,  1634, 
as  a  shoemaker  and  freeman.  Soon  thereafter 
he  removed  to  Watertown,  and  finally  went  with 
his  brother  John  to  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  being 
dismissed  March  29,  1636,  by  the  church  to 
form  a  church  in  Wethersfield.  However,  he 
soon  returned  to  Boston,  and  there  passed  the 


652 


SOUTHBASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


rest  of  his  life,  dying  April  27,  1659.  The 
Christian  name  of  his  wife  was  Mary.  She  died 
Jan.  18,  1663.  Their  children,  all  believed  to 
have  been  born  in  England,  were:  Nathaniel; 
Euth,  who  married  John  Whitney;  Tabitha, 
who  married  Matthew  Abdy;  Sarah,  who  mar- 
ried Eobert  Mason ;  and  Mary,  who  married 
Eichard  Sanger. 

(II)  Capt.  Nathaniel  Eeynolds,  son  of  Eob- 
ert, born  about  1627,  in  England,  came  when  a 
child  to  New  England  with  his  parents.  He 
became  a  freeman  in  1665 ;  was  a  shoemaker. 
In  a  record  dated  Chelmsford,  Feb.  25,  1676, 
he  was  called  captain,  probably  for  service  in 
King  Philip's  war.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  an 
artillery  company.  [Professor  Munro,  of  Brown 
University,  says  in  his  History  of  Bristol  (1880) 
that  Nathaniel  Eeynolds  was  a  member  of  the 
Artillery  Company,  and  did  good  service  in 
the  Indian  war  as  captain  of  a  company  under 
Colonel  Church.]  He  removed  to  Bristol  (now 
Ehode  Island)  in  1680  and  was  recognized  in 
the  first  town  ftieeting  there.  He  became  one 
of  the  principal  men  of  the  town.  He  married 
(first)  Nov.  30,  1657  (the  ceremony  being 
performed  by  Gov.  John  Endicott),  Sarah, 
daughter  of  John  Dwight,  of  Dedham.  She 
died  July  8,  1663,  and  he  married  (second) 
Priscilla,  daughter  of  Peter  Brackett,  a  well-to- 
do  tradesman  of  Boston.  He  had  three  children 
by  his  first  wife  and  eight  by  his  second.  He 
died  at  Bristol  July  10,  1708.  His  children 
were :  Sarah,  born  July  26, 1659,  married  John 
Fosdick;  Mary,  born  Nov.  20,  1660,  died 
young;  Nathaniel  was  born  March  3,  1662-63; 
John,  Aug.  4,  1668;  Peter,  Jan.  26,  1670; 
Philip,  Sept.  15,  1674;  Joseph,  Dec.  29,  1676; 
Hannah,  Jan.  15,  1682  (married  Samuel 
Eoyall)  ;  Mary,  in  1684  (married  Nathaniel 
Woodbury);  Benjamin,  May  10,  1686;  Ruth, 
Dec.  9,  1688  (married  Josiah  Cary). 

(III)  Nathaniel  Reynolds  (2),  son  of  Capt. 
Nathaniel,  born  March  3,  1662-63,  lived  in 
Boston,  and  there  died  prior  to  1717.  The 
Christian  name  of  his  wife  was  Ruth,  and  he 
was  the  father  of  nine  children,  among  them 
Nathaniel,  born  Jan.  14,  1693 ;  John,  born 
March  29, 1696;  and  Philip,  born  May  12,  1701. 
(See  full  record  elsewhere  in  this  work.) 

(IV)  Nathaniel  Eeynolds  (3),  son  of  Natha- 
niel (2),  born  Jan.  14,  1694,  in  Boston,  was 
a  shoemaker,  like  his  father  and  grandfather. 
He  married  Jan.  27,  1717,  Mary  Snell,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Snell,  of  Bridgewater,  and  they 
had  sons  Nathaniel,  born  March  19,  1718,  and 
Thomas,  born  Feb.  25,  1719.  The  father  died 
in  Boston  Oct.  29,  1719,  and  his  widow  moved 
to  her  native  town  of  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  tak- 
ing her  two  sons  with  her. 


(V)  Nathaniel  Eeynolds  (4),  son  of  Nathan- 
iel (3),  was  born  March  19,  1718,  in  Boston, 
on  Milk  street,  in  the  same  house  in  which  Ben- 
jamin Franklin  was  born  in  1706.  He  mar- 
ried jn  1739  Hannah,  daughter  of  Samuel 
Hartwell,  and  their  children  were :  Philip,  born 
in  1740;  and  Jonas,  born  in  1742.  His  first 
wife  died  Aug.  12,  1742,  and  he  married  (sec- 
ond) June  14,  1744,  Mary  Tolman,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Tolman,  of  Stoughton,  Mass.,  and 
their  children  were:  Timothy,  born  in  1746; 
Hannah,  in  1750;  Mary,  in  1754;  Nathaniel, 
in  1757;  David,  in  1759;  Silence,  in  1760; 
Jonathan,  in  1764;  and  Cynthia,  in  1769. 

(VI)  Jonas  Reynolds,  son  of  Nathaniel  (4), 
was  born  Jan.  28,  1742.  In  1768  he  married 
Anna  Perkins,  daughter  of  Luke  Perkins,  and 
their  children  were:  Anna,  born  in  1769; 
Jonas,  in  1772;  Isaac,  in  1774;  John  Perkins, 
in  1781;  David  Perkins;  Jonathan;  and  Polly. 
The  father  died  Aug.  5,  1795,  and  his  widow 
married  for  her  second  husband,  in  1798,  Dea- 
con Eli  jail  Snell. 

(VII)  Jonas  Reynolds  (2),  son  of  Jonas, 
born  Sept.  28,  1772,  was  a  farmer  and  wheel- 
wright, and  for  a  number  of  years  was  engaged 
in  making  spinning  wheels.  He  was  indus- 
trious, and  was  recognized  as  a  fine  workman, 
many  of  his  spinning  wheels  still  being  in  exist- 
ence— now  prized  for  their  antiquity.  He  died 
in  North  Bridgewater  June  22,  1842.  In  1798 
he  married  Rebecca  Hayward,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Hayward,  and  their  children  were:  Mar- 
tin Luther  is  mentioned  below ;  Orren,  born 
Feb.  17,  1801,  died  unmarried  Sept.  26,  1822; 
Anna,  born  April  16,  1803,  married  in  1824 
Simeon  Carr,  and  she  died  in  Brockton ;  Mary, 
born  June  26,  1805,  married  John  Tilden,  Jr., 
in  1823,  and  she  died  in  Brockton ;  Joseph  Hay- 
ward, born  Sept.  17,  1808,  a  farmer  and  car- 
penter, who  died  at  Brockton  Heights,  mar- 
ried in  1834  Zibia  Sumner;  Rebecca,  born 
Sept.  28,  1814,  married  in  1834  Howard  Til- 
den, and  she  died  in  Philadelphia;  and  Eliza- 
beth S.,  who  was  born  Dec.  16,  1824,  died  July 
25,  1826. 

(VIII)  Martin  Luther  Eeynolds,  son  of  Jo- 
nas (2),  was  born  March  2,  1799,  in  North 
Bridgewater,  in  that  part  known  as  Brockton 
Heights.  In  early  life  he  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade,  which  he  followed  for  a  number  of 
years,  during  which  time  he  located  in  that  part 
of  the  town  known  as  Marshall's  Corner,  and 
there  he  built  his  home,  which  is  now  the  resi- 
dence of  his  son,  Jonas  Eeynolds.  He  finally 
engaged  in  farming,  and  also  conducted  a  grist 
mill  near  his  home,  continuing  thus  engaged 
until  his  death  April  27.  1880.  He  was  an  in- 
dustrious man,  and  acquired  a  comfortable  com- 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


653 


petency.  He  was  possessed  of  a  quiet  though 
genial  manner,  and  was  a  kind  and  considerate 
friend  and  neighbor.  In  his  political  views  he 
early  allied  himself  with  the  old-line  Whigs,  and 
upon  the  organization  of  the  Kepublican  party 
identified  himself  with  the  latter.  On  Nov.  30, 
1826,  Mr.  Reynolds  was  married  to  Abigail 
Tilden,  daughter  of  John  and  Polly  (Howard) 
Tilden,  of  North  Bridgewater.  She  died  in 
Brockton  Oct.  29,  1885,  aged  seventy-eight 
years.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eeynolds  were  born 
three  children,  as  follows:  Martin  Bradford, 
born  Oct.  11,  1827,  died  unmarried  Oct.  4, 
1850;  Orren  Bgnton,  born  April  10,  1832,  died 
in  infancy ;  Jonas  was  born  Feb.  2,  1837. 

(IX)  Jonas  Reynolds,  son  of  Martin  Luther 
and  Abigail  (Tilden)  Reynolds,  was  born  Feb. 
2,  1837,  in  North  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  and  in 
the  common  schools  of  his  native  town  began  his 
educational  training.  He  then  attended  the 
East  Greenwich  (R.  I.)  Academy  for  four 
years,  after  which  he  was  a  student  in  the 
Bridgewater  normal  school,  from  which  insti- 
tution he  graduated.  He  left  school  when  about 
twenty-three  years  old,  and  then  began  teaching 
school  in  Campello,  continuing  there  several 
years,  three  years  of  the  time  being  principal  of 
the  Campello  schools.  Resigning  his  position 
as  teacher  he  then  engaged  in  the  shoe  manu- 
facturing business  in  .partnership  with  Palmer 
Newton.  This  partnership  continued  for  only 
a  short  time,  however,  when  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  George  G.  Whitten,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Whitten  &  RejTiolds,  shoe  manufactur- 
ers, locating  in  a  small  shop  at  Marshall's  Cor- 
ner. After  several  years  this  firm  was  dis- 
solved, Mr.  Reynolds  purchasing  his  partner's 
interests,  and  he  continued  alone  in  the  busi- 
ness until  in  1876,  when  he  took  into  partner- 
ship Charles  E.  Drake,  the  firm  becoming  J. 
Reynolds  &  Co.  The  firm  so  continued  until 
it  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  Reynolds, 
Drake  &  Gabell,  William  F.  Gabell,  one  of  the 
firm's  salesmen,  being  made  a  member.  They 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  the  medium- 
grade  shoe,  which  retails  for  from  $3.50  to  $5.00, 
giving  employment  to  from  100  to  125  hands, 
with  an  output  of  about  five  hundred  pairs  per 
day.  On  the  night  of  Jan.  24,  1909,  the  plant 
was  completely  destroyed  by  fire.  This  factory 
was  a  frame  building  40x185  feet,  three  stories 
high,  and  was  built  by  Mr.  Reynolds  in  1870. 
He  was  spending  the  winter  in  California  with 
his  wife  when  the  fire  occurred,  and  upon  his 
return,  in  the  spring  of  1909,  the  firm  was  re- 
organized under  the  name  of  the  Reynolds- 
Stetson  Shoe  Company,  A.  W.  Stetson,  a  prac- 
tical shoemaker,  becoming  a  member  of  the  firm. 


A  factory  was  obtained  in  North  Easton,  Mass., 
to  which  place  the  business  was  removed,  and 
where  it  is  now  being  successfully  carried  on. 
Mr.  Stetson  withdrawing  from  the  firm  in  Janu- 
ary, 1910,  it  became  the  Reynolds,  Drake  & 
Gabell  Company. 

Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  director  of  the  Cowesset 
Cemetery  Company  of  Brockton.  In  political 
faith  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  the 
city  as  a  member  of  the  common  council.  He 
attends  the  Pearl  Street  Methodist  Church, 
while  Mrs.  Reynolds  attended  the  Olivet  Mem- 
orial Church  (undenominational)  at  Brockton. 
She  formerly  attended  the  Pearl  Street  Metho- 
dist Church.  She  attended  the  meetings  of 
the  Christian  and  Missionary  Alliance  at  Old 
Orchard,  Maine,  where  the  family  has  had  a 
summer  home  for  many  years.  She  was  much 
interested  in  missionary  work  and  of  a  very 
faithful  and  devout  nature.  Of  strong  per- 
sonality and  charming  temperament,  she  made 
friends  with  all  with  whom  she  became  asso- 
ciated. Her  life  was  characterized  by  its 
marked  simplicity,  and  there  was  nothing  osten- 
tatious in  her  nature. 

Mr.  Reynolds  is  of  a  quiet  and  retiring  na- 
ture, but  possesses  a  genial  manner  which  has 
made  him  many  friends.  He  is  keen,  intellec- 
tual and  farsighted.  When  the  business  cares 
of  the  day  are  ended  he  is  found  in  his  home, 
where  his  friends  are  always  welcome.  He  has 
spent  several  winters  in  Florida. 

On  Nov.  29,  1866,  Mr.  Reynolds  married 
Ellen  Sherman  Keith,  who  was  bom  in  North 
Bridgewater,  in  the  section  then  known  as  "The 
Plain"  (now  Campello),  Sept.  13,  1836,  daugh- 
ter of  Bela  and  Mary  (Kingman)  Keith,  of 
Campello,  where  she  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools.  To  this  union  were  born  children 
as  follows :  Abbie  Keith,  born  June  30,  1868, 
married  Rev.  George  W.  Higgins,  of  Durham, 
Maine,  and  has  three  children,  Caleb,  Austin 
Perry,  and  Miriam  Reynolds;  Mary  Louise, 
born"  Oct.  20,  1872,  married  Carl  J.  Carlson, 
who  is  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance 
business  in  Brockton,  and  has  a  son,  Bela  Keith 
Carlson;  Martin  Elbert,  bom  Jan.  23,  1876, 
who  is  associated  with  his  father  in  the  shoe 
manufacturing  business,  being  president  of  the 
RejTiolds,  Drake  &  Gabell  Company,  married 
Lula  M.  Sladen,  of  North  Easton,  Mass.,  and 
they  have  two  children,  Alfred  Sladen  and 
Ellene  Marie.  Mrs.  Reynolds  passed  away  at 
the  summer  home  of  the  family  at  Old  Orchard, 
Maine,  July  25,  1910,  in  the  seventy-fourth 
year  of  her  age. 

Mrs.  Jonas  Reynolds  was  a  descendant  of 
early  New  England  families,  in  both  paternal 


654 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


and  maternal  lines.  Among  her  ancestors  may 
be  mentioned  Rev.  James  Keith,  the  first  min- 
ister of  the  ancient  town  of  Bridgewater;  John 
Gary,  the  first  town  clerk  of  Bridgewater ;  Dea- 
con Samuel  Edson,  who  erected  the  first  mill 
in  the  town  of  Bridgewater;  Henry  Kingman, 
of  Weymouth,  Mass.,  the  first  of  his  name  in 
this  country;  and  William  Sherman,  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Plymouth,  who  later  removed 
to  Marshfield,  Massachusetts. 

Bela  Keith,  father  of  Mrs.  Reynolds,  was 
a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Martha  (Gary)  Keith, 
and  a  direct  descendant  in  the  sixth  generation 
from  Rev.  James  Keith  (I),  the  first  ordained 
minister  in  Bridgewater,  where  he  continued 
in  the  ministry  for  fifty-six  years,  through 
Timothy  and  Hannah  (Fobes)  Keith  (II)  ; 
Timothy  and  Bethiah  (Ames)  Keith  (III)  ; 
Levi  and  Jemima  (Perkins)  Keith  (IV) ;  and 
Benjamin  and  Martha  (Gary)  Keith  (V).  Bela 
Keith  was  born  Feb.  2,  1793,  in  the  village  of 
Gampello,  in  what  was  then  the  town  of 
Bridgewater,  later  North  Bridgewater,  and  now 
a  part  of  Brockton.  After  acquiring  his  early 
educational  training  in  the  district  schools  of 
his  neighborhood,  he  became  apprenticed  to  the 
carpenter's  trade,  and  after  familiarizing  him- 
self with  the  details  of  the  business  he  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  contracting  and  building 
business,  in  which  he  was  successfully  engaged 
until  his  death.  From  early  manhood  till  his 
death,  Mr.  Keith  was  prominently  identified 
with  the  interests  of  the  town,  and  was  an  ac- 
tive worker  in  all  measures  which  had  for  their 
object  the  advancement  of  the  social,,  material 
and  religious  welfare  of  the  community.  As 
a  contractor  and  builder  he  carried  on  a  large 
business  in  the  erection  of  residences,  factories, 
churches,  etc.  He  built  the. second  church  edi- 
fice belonging  to  the  First  Gongregational 
Ghurch  of  Brocldon,  and  also  erected  the  first 
house  of  worship  of  the  South  Gongregational 
Church  at  Gampello,  which  cost  $4,307.37,  of 
which  only  $3,000  was  subscribed,  and  he,  as 
master  builder  of  the  edifice,  paid  the  balance 
of  $1,307.37  himself.  This  edifice  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  May,  1853,  and  Mr.  Keith  was 
chairman  of  the  committee  which  erected  the 
present  church  edifice.  Mr.  Keith  also  owned 
a  large  farm  at  Gampello,  upon  which  a  portion 
of  the  village  is  now  located.  He  was  a  safe 
and  prudent  man  to  trust  in  the  management 
of  town  affairs,  and  as  early  as  1837  was  com- 
missioned a  justice  of  the  peace,  a  capacity  in 
which  he  served  as  long  as  he  lived.  He  was 
selectman  of  the  town  in  1845-46-47-48-51-52- 
53-54,  and  was  also  assessor  and  overseer  of  the 
poor  for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  all  these 


official  positions  he  discharged  the  duties  with, 
an  eye  single  to  the  public  good,  and  he  died 
honored  by  his  fellow  citizens,  and  esteemed 
by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  relatives.     He 
was  a  consistent  Christian,  and  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal   founders    of    the    South    Gongregational 
Ghurch  Society  in  1837,  remaining  an  active- 
member  of  the   church  until  his  death   Sept. 
6,   1867,  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age. 
At  the  time  of  his  death,  one  who  knew  himi 
and  his  family  well  wrote  the  following  notice : 
"The  last  of  four  brothers  whose  lives  were- 
spent  in  the  vicinity  of  their  early  home  at  Gam- 
pello, has  been  called  from  the  scenes  of  his 
early  labors,  cares  and  benefactions.     Respected 
and  honored  in  life  wherever  he  was  known, 
he  is  in  death  universally  lamented  by  neighbors 
and  fellow  citizens.     Seldom  has  so  large  an 
assembly  of  sincere  mourners  gathered  to  pay 
the'  last  token  of  respect  to  a  departed  friend,, 
as  congregated  at  the  funeral  of  Mr.  Keith  in 
the   church   at   Gampello.     It   wanted   no   elo- 
quent language  to  awaken  the  sympathy  of  the 
audience,  and  well  did  the  pastor  remark  that 
the  'deceased  needed  no  eulogium  from  him.' 
His   life  was   a  transparent   one — well   known 
and  well  read  by  his  acquaintances  and  friends. 
Of  a  well  balanced  mind,  an  unpretending  and 
unambitious  spirit,  his  fellow  citizens  had  often 
called  him  to  positions  of  trust  and  honor.     In 
every  public  enterprise  he  had  been  liberal,  in 
every  philanthropic  object  at  home  and  abroad 
he  had  taken  a  generous  interest ;  in  supporting 
the  institutions  of  religion,  in  erecting  temples 
of  worship,  in  maintaining  the  preached  word, 
he  had  borne  no  humble  part,  but  had  willingly 
stood  up  under  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day. 
Many  have  been  the  young  men  who  received 
their  first  lessons  in  business  under  his  direc- 
tion, and  there  is  not  one  who  does  not  gladly 
attest  to  his  unfailing  integrity  and  scrupulous 
uprightness   even   in   matters    of    the   smallest 
consequence,   and   they  will    always   remember 
his  almost  paternal  solicitude  for  their  welfare, 
and  the  constant  courtesy  and  kindness  which 
characterized  his  demeanor  toward  them.  Such 
a  family  of  brothers — Charles,  Ziba,  Arza  and 
Bela  Keith — cannot    soon    be    forgotten.     The 
blessed  fragrance  of  their  lives  and  examples 
will  remain  to  exert  an  abiding  influence  on  the 
surviving    cotemporaries.     They    were    worthy 
to  bear  the  name  of  the  first  minister  of  Bridge- 
water,  whose  descendants  they  were,  and  may 
their  mantles  fall  on  others  who  shall  live  and 
act  like  them." 

On  Jan.  1,  1821,  Bela  Keith  married  Mary 
Kingman,  daughter  of  Seth  and  Judith  (Wash- 
burn)   Kingman,   of   North    Bridgewater,   and 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


655 


their  children  were:  Lewis,  born  Nov.  12,  1821, 
married  (first)  Charlotte  Louise  White,  of  Nor- 
ton, Mass.,  and  (second)  her  sister,  Mariette 
White;  he  died  in  North  Bridgewater  June  11, 
1859.  Seth  Kingman,  born  Sept.  23,  1823, 
died  Aug.  12,  1825.  Henry  Kingman,  born 
Dec.  17,  1826,  married  Vesta  Snell  Cary,  and 
died  in  Kingston,  Mass.,  Aug.  8,  1909.  Mary 
Kingman,  born  Oct.  12,  1828,  died  in  North 
Bridgewater,  unmarried.  Louise,  born  Sept. 
20,  1830,  married  Jan.  25,  1855,  Simeon 
Franklin  Packard,  of  North  Bridgewater,  where 
she  died  Sept.  20,  1892.  Ellen  Sherman,  born 
Sept.  16,  1836,  married  Nov.  29,  1866,  Jonas 
Reynolds,  of  North  Bridgewater.  The  mother, 
although  in  feeble  health  for  some  years,  was 
always  youthful  in  her  interests  and  feelings, 
a  kindly  neighbor  and  an  affectionate  mother; 
she  died  Oct.  30,  1868. 

REYNOLDS.  The  name  introducing  this 
sketch  is  one  synonymous  with  Brockton  and 
the  development  of  the  shoe  industry  in  that 
community,  where  for  several  generations  the 
family  has  been  prominently  identified  with 
the  evolution  of  the  industry  which  has  made 
Brockton  famous  the  world  over  as  "the  shoe 
city."  This  article  is  to  treat  particularly  of 
the  branch  of  this  family  to  which  belong  the 
late  Charles  Turner  Reynolds  and  his  sons,  the 
latter  of  whom  especially  have  made  a  name  and 
reputation  for  themselves  in  the  shoe  manu- 
facturing world.  They  are  descendants  in  the 
ninth  generation  of  Robert  Reynolds,  shoemaker 
of  Boston,  and  the  early  history  of  this  family 
is  here  given,  the  generation  follomng  in 
chronological  order. 

(I)  Robert  RejTiolds,  believed  to  have  been 
born  in  England,  was  apparently  in  Boston  as 
early  as  1630,  joining  the  church  at  Boston 
Aug.  10,  1634.  and  is  mentioned  Sept.  3,  1634, 
as  a  shoemaker  and  freeman.  Soon  thereafter 
he  removed  to  Watertown,  and  finally  went  with 
his  brother  John  to  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  being 
dismissed  March  29,  1636,  by  the  church  to 
form  a  church  in  Wethersfield.  He,  however, 
soon  returned  to  Boston,  and  there  passed  the 
rest  of  his  life,  dying  April  27,  1659.  The 
Christian  name  of  his  wife  was  Mary.  She  died 
Jan.  18,  1663.  Their  children,  all  believed  to 
have  been  born  in  England,  were :  Nathaniel 
is  mentioned  below :  Ruth  married  John  Whit- 
ney; Tabitha  married  Matthew  Abdy;  Sarah 
married  Robert  Mason;  Mary  married  Richard 
Sanger. 

(II)  Capt.  Nathaniel  Reynolds,  son  of  Rob- 
ert, bom  about  1627,  in  England,  came  when 
a  child  to  New  England  with  his  parents.     He 


became  a  freeman  in  1665;  was  a  shoemaker. 
In  a  record  dated  Chelmsford.  Feb.  25,  1676, 
he  was  called  captain,  probably  for  service  in. 
King  Philip's  war.  He  was  a  lieiitenant  in 
an  artillery  company.  [Professor  Munro,  of 
Brown  University,  says  in  his  History  of  Bris- 
tol (1880)  that  Nathaniel  Reynolds  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Artillery  Company,  and  did  good 
service  in  the  Indian  war  as  captain  of  a  com- 
pany under  Colonel  Church.]  He  removed  to 
Bristol  (now  Rhode  Island)  in  1680  and  was 
recognized  in  the  first  town  meeting  there.  He 
became  one  of  the  principal  men  of  the  town. 
He  married  (first)  Nov.  30,  1657,  the  cere- 
mony being  performed  by  Gov.  John  Endicott, 
Sarah,  daughter  of  John  Dwight,  of  Dedham. 
She  died  July  8',  1663,  and  he  married  (sec- 
ond) Priscilla,  daughter  of  Peter  Brackett,  a 
well-to-do  tradesman  of  Boston.  He  had  thre'-' 
children  by  his  first  wife  and  eight  by  his  sec- 
ond. He  died  at  Bristol,  July  10,  1708.  His 
children  were:  Sarah,  born  July  26,  1659, 
married  John  Fosdick;  Mary,  born  Nov.  20,. 
1660,  died  young;  Nathaniel,  born  March  3, 
1662-63,  is  mentioned  below;  John  was  born 
Aug.  4,  1668;  Peter,  Jan.  26,  1670;  Philip, 
Sept.  15,  1674;  Joseph,  Dec.  29,  1676;  Hannah, 
Jan.  15,  1682  (married  Samuel  Royall) ;  Mary, 
1684  (married  Nathaniel  Woodbury) ;  Benja- 
min, May  10,  1686;  Ruth,  Dec.  9,  1688  (mar- 
ried Josiah  Cary). 

(III)  Nathaniel  Reynolds  (2),  son  of  Capt. 
Nathaniel,  born  March  3,  1662-63,  lived  in  Bos- 
ton, and  there  died  prior  to  1717.  The  Chris- 
tian name  of  his  wife  was  Ruth,  and  she  died 
Sept.  19,  1716.  They  had  nine  children, 
namely:  Sarah,  born  Oct.  25,  1687,  married 
Robert  Young;  Ruth,  born  Sept.  11,  1689,  died 
March  16,  1693;  Mary,  born  Aug.  21,  1691, 
married  Edward  Marion;  Nathaniel,  bom  Jan. 
14,  1694,  married  Mary  Snell;  John,  bom 
March  29,  1696,  married  Anna  Blanch;  Eben- 
ezer,  born  in  Jime,  1699,  died  July  29,  1701; 
Philip,  born  May  12,  1701,  died  Dec.  27,  1727; 
Ruth  (2),  born  Sept.  1,  1704,  died  June  22, 
1721;  Naomi,  born  Oct.  27,  1706,  married 
Samuel  Ridgeway. 

(IV)  Nathaniel  Reynolds  (3),  son  of  Na- 
thaniel (2),  born  Jan.  14,  1694,  in  Boston, 
was  a  shoemaker,  as  were  his  father  and  grand- 
father. On  Jan.  27,  1717,  he  married  Mary 
Snell,  daughter  of  Thomas  Snell,  of  Bridge- 
water,  and  they  had  sons  Nathaniel,  bom  March 
19,  1718,  and  Thomas,  born  Feb.  25,  1719.  The 
father  died  in  Boston  Oct.  29,  1719,  and  his 
widow  moved  to  her  native  town  of  Bridge- 
water,  Mass.,  taking  her  two  sons  with  her. 

(V)  Thomas  Reynolds,  son  of  Nathaniel  (3), 


656  SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 

was  born  Feb.  25,  1719,  in  Boston,  on  Milk  20,  1898.  (10)  Martha,  born  June  26,  1820, 
street,  in  the  same  house  in  which  Benjamin  married  Isaac  A.  Reynolds,  of  North  Bridge- 
Franklin  was  born  in  1706.  He  married  Nov.  water,  where  she  died.  (11)  Mary  Ann,  bom 
3,  1748,  Elizabeth  Turner,  and  their  children  July  28,  1822,  married  Samuel  A.  Clark,  of 
were :  Amy,  born  Oct.  29,  1749,  who  died  Deering,  N.  H.,  and  died  in  Abington,  Mass. 
May  9,  1752;  Joseph,  born  June  21,  1751 ;  Amy  (12)  Joseph,  born  Sept.  30, 1824,  married  Eliz- 
(2),  born  Feb.  25,  1753,  who  married  Silas  abeth  M.  Stoddard,  of  Canton,  Mass.,  and  both 
Dunbar;  Elizabeth,  born  June  22,  1755;  Su-  are  now  deceased.  (13)  Elizabeth  Whitcomb, 
sanna,  born  April  24,  1757,  who  married  Oliver  born  April  8,  1827,  married  George  H.  How- 
Howard;  Martha,  born  March  23,  1759,  who  ard,  of  Easton;  they  reside  in  Brockton.  (14) 
married  Capt.  Parmenas  Packard;  Thomas,  Harriet,  born  April  10,  1829,  married  Lewis 
born  Jan.  27,  1762;  and  Josiah.  Randall,  of  Easton,  Mass.,  and  both  are  de- 

(VI)  Joseph  Reynolds,  son  of  Thomas,  born  ceased.  (15)  Olive  died  March  12,  1836,  in 
June  21, 1751,  married  Sept.  17,  1772,  Jemima,  infancy. 

daughter  of  Luke  Perkins,  and  their  children  (VIII)  Chables  Turner  Reynolds,  eldest 

were:     Ichabod,   born   March   27,   1773,   who  son   of   Joseph    (2)    and    Phebe    (Whitcomb) 

married  Polly  Brett;  Joseph-,  born  April   18,  Reynolds,  was   born   May   6,   1818,  in  North 

1775;    Daniel;    Simeon,    who    married    Mary  Bridgewater  (now  Brockton),    where   he    died 

Snell;    Azel,    who    married    Susanna    Nash;  May  20,   1898,  aged  eighty  years.     After  ac- 

Thomas,    born   Jan.    19,    1776,   who  taarried  quiring  his  early  training  in  the  district  schools 

Nancy  Pike;  Jemima;  Olive,  who  married  Jo-  of  his  native  town,  he  as  a  boy  took  up  shoe- 

seph  Macomber ;  Amy,  who  married   Ziphion  making,  and  when  he  had  become  familiar  with 

Howard ;   Susanna,   who   married   Capt.    Silas  the  making  of  boots  and  shoes  he  was  employed 

Dunbar;  and  Vesta,  who  married  Isaac  Clapp.  for  several  years  after  the  fashion  of  shoemak- 

(VII)  Joseph  Reynolds  (2),  son  of  Joseph,  ers  of  that  day,  taking  stock  from  the  factories 
born  April  18,  1775,  married  (first)  April  19,  and  making  up  the  boots  and  shoes  at  his  home, 
1798,  Martha  (Patty),  daughter  of  Silas  Dun-  returning  to  the  factories  with  the  finished  pro- 
bar  and  Amy  (Reynolds)  Dunbar,  and  after  duct.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
her  death  (second)  Phebe,  daughter  of  Noah  shoes  on  his  own  account,  having  his  factory  in 
Whitcomb.  Mr.  Reynolds  was  a  resident  of  a  part  of  his  house  on  Pleasant  street,  where 
North  Bridgewater,  where  he  was  occupied  as  he  continued  for  a  number  of  years,  subse- 
a  farmer  and  shoemaker.  He  also  made  nails,  quently  removing  the  business  to  larger  quar- 
which  he  marketed  in  Boston.  He  served  as  ters,  where  he  was  located  during  the  remainder 
major  in  the  State  militia.  He  stood  over  six  of  his  active  business  career.  Mr.  Reynolds  was 
feet  in  height,  was  a  powerful  man,  possessed  possessed  of  an  amiable,  genial  disposition,  and 
a  hardy  constitution  and  lived  to  be  upward  of  enjoyed  the  friendship  as  well  as  the  respect 
ninety-three  years  of  age,  dying  in  August,  and  esteem  of  the  community  in  which  his  long 
1868,  in  North  Bridgewater,  Mass.  His  chil-  and  useful  life  was  spent.  He  was  an  active 
dren  were:  (1)  Olive,  born  April  26,  1799,  member  of  the  Pearl  Street  Methodist  Episcopal 
died  in  February,  1800.  (2)  Pamela,  born  Church,  and  for  several  years  played  the  violin 
Aug.  1,  1800,  married  Azel  Packard,  and  died  in  that  church.  In  early  life  he  was  a  member 
in  North  Bridgewater.  (3)  Sophia,  born  April  of  the  North  Bridgewater  Dragoons,  and  pos- 
29,  1802,  married  Azel  Macomber,  of  Jay,  sessing  a  military  bearing  made  a  fine  appear- 
Maine,  where  she  died.     (4)  Oliver,  born  Jan.  ance  on  horseback. 

20,  1804,  married  Olive  K.  Gay,  of  Stoughton,  On   Oct.    15,    1843,   Mr.   Reynolds   married 

and  they  both  died  in  Brockton.     (5)  Nancy,  Sarah  Stephens  Knowles,  daughter  of  John  and 

born  March  30,  1808,  married  Joseph  Macom-  Susannah  (Cram)  Knowles,  of  Wilmot,  N.  H., 

her,  of  Jay,  Maine,  where  she  died.    (6)  Daniel,  and  granddaughter  of  David  and  Sarah  (Ste- 

born  May  11,  1810,  married  Hannah  Tribou,  phens)  Knowles.    This  union  was  blessed  with 

and  he  died  in  North  Bridgewater.     (7)   Su-  children  as  follows:     (1)  Charles  Wesley,  bom 

sanna,  born  June  26,  1812,  married   Samuel  July  17,  1844,  was  a  member  of  Company  D, 

Peabody,  of  Canton,  Maine,  where  she  died.  58th   Massachusetts    Volunteer   Infantry,   and 

(8)   Luke,  born  April  10,  1815,  was  a  shoe-  was  killed  on  April  2,  1865,  at  the  last  battle 

maker  and  mason,  and  is  now  living  retired,  in  front  of  Petersburg  before  Lee's  surrender. 

He  married  Emeline  Harding,  of  Abington.  All  during  the  Civil  war;  he  was  unmarried.     (2) 

these  children  were  born  to  the  first  marriage.  Sarah  Almena,  bom   Feb.   21,   1847,  married 

The  following  were  by  the  second  union:     (9)  Aaron  S.  Harlow,  of  Brockton,  who  is  foreman 

Charles  Turner,  born  May  6,  1818,  died  May  in  the  cutting  room  of  Bion  F.  Reynolds'  shoe 


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SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


657 


factory.  They  have  one  son,  Herbert  Wesley, 
born  Nov.  15,  1872  (now  bookkeeper  for  Bion 
F.  Reynolds),  who  married  Abby  Frances 
Smith,  of  Barnstable,  Mass.,  and  they  have  one 
son,  Wesley  Spear  Harlow.  (3)  Lowell  Mason, 
born  Feb.  4,  1849,  is  mentioned  below.  (4) 
Susan  Eldora,  born  Sept.  3,  1851,  married  Jus- 
tin Hewett,  of  Brockton,  where  they  reside.  He 
is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  these  volumes.  (5) 
Jay  Bird,  born  May  2,  1854,  is  mentioned 
below.  (6)  Bion  Fourth,  born  March  4,  1856, 
is  mentioned  loelow.  (7)  Luke  Webster,  born 
Feb.  3,  1859,  is  mentioned  below.  (8)  Zira, 
bom  March  22,  1862,  is  the  widow  of  William 
L.  Grout,  of  Greenfield,  Mass.,  whom  she  mar- 
ried Sept.  1,  1894,  and  who  was  prominently 
identified  with  the  growth  and  development 
of  the  New  Home  Sewing  Machine  Company, 
of  Orange,  Mass.,  and  who  at  the  time  of  his. 
death,  which  occurred  April  15,  1898,  was  one 
■of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influential  business 
men  in  his  section  of  the  vState ;  Mrs.  Grout 
still  makes  her  home  in  Greenfield,  Massachu- 
setts. 

Mrs.  Sahah  Stephens  (Knowles)  Rey- 
nolds, wife  of  Charles  T.  Re^Tiolds  and  mother 
of  the  above  cliildren,  survived  her  husband, 
passing  away  in  the  house  where  she  had  lived 
nearly  sixty-four  years,  and  in  which  all  her 
xaarried  life  had  been  spent,  and  where  her 
children  were  all  born,  on  June  14,  1909,  in 
the  eighty-fourth  year  of  her  age.  Mrs.  Rey- 
nolds was  born  June  25,  1825,  in  New  Chester, 
N.  H.,  and  after  her  marriage  came  to  North 
Bridgewater  and  went  to  housekeeping  in  the 
house  on  Pleasant  street  which  was  built  in 
1844,  and  which  was  ever  afterward  her  home. 
■She  was  of  a  home-loving  nature,  a  devoted  and 
affectionate  wife  and  mother,  her  interests  cen- 
tering around  her  family  and  household,  and 
beloved  by  all  who  knew  her  for  her  noble  traits 
of  character.  She  was  a  devout  member  of  the 
Pearl  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which 
she  joined  by  letter  upon  coming  to  North 
Bridgewater. 

(IX)  Lowell  Mason  Reynolds,  eldest  liv- 
ing son  of  the  late  Charles  T.  and  Sarah  Ste- 
phens (Knowles)  Reynolds,  was  .born  in  North 
Bridgewater,  Feb.  4,  1849,  and  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  town  received  his  early 
training.  At  the  age  of  five  years  he  was  assist- 
ing his  father  in  making  shoes,  and  at  the  age 
of  seven  could  cut  out  and  make  a  shoe  com- 
plete, trading  the  first  pair  he  made  for  a  jack- 
knife.  He  remained  with  his  father  until  he 
was  twenty  years  of  age,  when  he  became  a 
cutt#  in  the  shoe  factorv  of  the  late  Peleg  S. 
Leach,  who  was  one  of  the  leading  shoe  man- 

42 


ufacturers  of  his  day.  Continuing  in  the  em- 
ploy of  Mr.  Leach  for  about  four  years,  he  next 
entered  the  factory  of  the  late  George  H.  Gur- 
ney.  When  Mr.  Gurney  died,  about  one  and  a 
half  years  later,  Mr.  Reynolds  continued  the 
business  for  the  firm  of  B.  F.  Campbell  &  Co., 
of  Boston,  as  general  manager  for  about  five 
years,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  in  1880,  pur- 
chasing the  latter  business,  and  the  following 
year  taking  into  partnership  with  him  his  bro- 
thers Bion  F.  and  Luke  W.  Reynolds,  the  firm 
becoming  L.  M.  Reynolds  &  Co.  Their  estab- 
lishment was  located  in  a  part  of  what  is  known 
as  the  Charles  Howard  needle  factory,  and  they 
were  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes  of 
the  medium  grade.  They  occupied  these  quar- 
ters until  1883,  when  they  built  a  factory  of 
their  own,  30  by  80  feet,  three  stories  high,  with 
an  L,  which  contained  the  engine  and  boiler. 
Two  years  later  an  addition  of  70  feet,  and  sub- 
sequently another  addition,  of  40  feet,  \vith  an 
additional  office  building,  were  erected,  making 
in  all  a  building  230  by  30  feet,  three  stories 
high,  with  an  L  30  by  40  feet,  which  was  used 
for  the  office.  The  company  employed  from 
150  to  250  hands,  and  manufactured  daily  from 
ten  hundred  to  twelve  hundred  pairs  of  shoes 
which  retailed  at  from  $2  to  $5  per  pair.  On 
April  18,  1904,  this  factory  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  Mr.  Reynolds  has  since  been  retired 
from  active  business. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  member  of  the 
difl'erent  Masonic  bodies,  holding  membership 
in  Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Satucket 
Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  Brockton  Council,  R.  &  S. 
^[.,  and  Bay  State  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
jilar,  of  Brockton.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Por- 
ter Congregational  Church,  and  sang  in  the 
choir  of  the  church  for  a  number  of  years;  he 
was  also  a  member  of  the  Paul  Revere  Quar- 
tette for  about  ten  years.  In  his  political  views 
ilr.  Reynolds  is  a  stanch  Republican,  but  has 
never  cared  for  nor  sought  office. 

On  Dec.  5,  1877,  Mr.  Reynolds  was  united  in 
manriage  with  Clara  B.  Cobb,  daughter  of  the 
late  Lyman  E.  and  Maria  (Collamore)  Cobb, 
of  Brockton.    They  have  no  children. 

(IX)  Jay'  Bird  Reynolds,  fifth  child  of  the 
late  Charles  T.  and  Sarah  Stephens  (Knowles) 
Reynolds,  was  born  May  2,  1854,  in  North 
Bridgewater  (now  Brockton),  Mass.,  in  the  old 
liomestead  on  Pleasant  street.  Like  liis  elder 
hrotlier,  he  was  but  five  years  of  age  when  he 
commenced  to  assist  his  father  in  the  making  of 
shoes,  and  during  the  time  he  was  not  attending 
the  district  schools  of  his  neighborhood  he  was 
industriously  employed  in  his  father's  shoe 
shop.     Leaving  the  schoolroom   at  the  age  of 


658 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


fourteen  years,  he  continued  with  his  father 
until  he  was  between  seventeen  and  eighteen 
years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  entered  the  shoe 
factory  of  the  late  Peleg  S.  Leach,  as  a  shoe 
cutter.  After  remaining  in  this  factory  and 
other  shoe  factories  of  his  native  town  for  a 
period  of  about  two  and  a  half  years,  and  be- 
fore he  had  reached  the  age  of  twenty,  he 
bought  his  first  leather  and,  in  1874,  estab- 
lished himself  in  business  as  a  shoe  manufac- 
turer in  the  house  adjoining  his  home  on 
Pleasant  street.  His  first  purchase  of  leather 
amounted  to  enough  to  make  five  cases  of  thirty 
pairs  each,  and  he  himself  performed  all  the 
labor  in  connection  with  the  making  of  the 
shoes  with  the  exception  of  the  finishing  of  the 
bottoms.  From  this  small  beginning  his  busi- 
ness steadily  grew,  so  much  so  that  he  shortly 
removed  to  Wheeler's  factory  on  Pleasant  street, 
where  he  continued  for  a  time,  until  the  in- 
creasing demands  of  his  trade  again  made 
larger  quarters  necessary,  and  he  then  located 
on  Railroad  street,  in  Daniel  W.  Hayward's 
factory  building,  where  he  continued  for  several 
years.  In  1880  his  business  had  grown  to  such 
proportions  that  Mr.  Reynolds  was  justified  in 
purchasing  the  shoe  factory  of  Porter  &  South- 
worth,  on  Montello  street,  to  which  he  removed 
his  business,  taking  into  partnership  with  him 
Henry  H.«  Tucker,  of  Avon,  Mass.  This  part- 
nership continued  for  about  one  and  a  half 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  Mr.  Reynolds 
purcliased  the  interest  of  his  partner,  and  there- 
after carried  on  the  business  alone  at  the  same 
location,  with  marked  success,  until  1885,  in 
which  year  many  of  the  Brockton  shoe  .manufac- 
turers were  confronted  with  labor  troubles.  Mr. 
Reynolds  determined  to  leave  tlie  city  rather 
than  submit  to  the  terms  of  the  labor  unions. 
The  citizens  of  Orange,  Mass.,  learning  of  his 
determination  to  remove  his  shoe  factory  from 
Brockton,  offered  him  extraordinary  induce- 
ments to  locate  his  business  in  that  town,  agree- 
ing to  build  him  a  factory,  give  him  the  rent 
of  the  same  free  for  a  term  of  five  years,  and 
exempt  same  from  taxation  for  a  period  of  ten 
years,  in  order  to  have  him  locate  his  plant  in 
Orange.  This  factory  was  200x30  feet  in 
dimensions,  three  stories  high,  with  an  office 
extension  on  one  side  and  boiler  and  engine 
house  on  the  otiier.  Mr.  Reynolds  began  the 
manufacture  of  shoes  in  this  factory  at  Orange 
about  May  1,  1887,  and  the  years  that  followed 
proved  so  successful  for  his  business  that  in 
the  fall  of  1890,  finding  he  needed  more  com- 
modious quarters,  he  purchased  the  building, 
and  during  the  winter  erected  an  addition  there- 
to 108  feet  long,  40  feet  wide,  and  three  stories 


high,  corresponding  in  architecture  with  the 
main  building.  The  additions  made  to  this  fac- 
tory gave  Mr.  Reynolds  a  working  floor  space 
of  34,000  square  feet,  and  he  gave  employment 
to  over  three  hundred  skilled  hands,  with  a 
capacity  of  one  hundred  cases  of  shoes,of  twenty- 
four  pairs  each,  per  day,  his  product  being 
known  as  the  medium-grade  shoes  for  men,  boys 
and  youths.  In  1897  the  business  was  incor- 
porated, under  the  laws  of  Massachusetts,  with 
a  capital  stock  of  $100,000,  as  the  Jay  B.  Rey- 
nolds Shoe  Company,  of  wliich  corporation  Mr. 
Reynolds  became  president  and  treasurer,  re- 
taining ninety-seven  per  cent  of  the  stock.  Mr. 
Reynolds  continued  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes 
with  marked  success  until  Jan.  1,  1908,  when 
he  retired  from  active  business,  due  to  the  fact 
that  he  had  entirely  lost  his  sense  of  hearing, 
which  had  been  failing  him  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  he  was  finding  it  very  difficult  to 
transact  business  with  such  an  unpleasant  hand- 
icap, having  been  obliged  to  resort  to  the  use 
of  a  speaking  tube  for  a  number  of  years. 

Mr.  Reynolds  has  always  had  a  fondness  for 
good  horses,  and  for  several  years  lived  on  and 
conducted  a  large  farm  at  Orange,  which  was 
well  stocked  with  fine  bred  cattle  and  horses, 
until  1896,  when  he  removed  his  residence  to 
the  adjoining  town  of  Athol,  Mass.  There  he 
still  resides,  although  he  retains  his  business 
office  in  Orange,  his  time  now  being  devoted  to 
looking  after  his  various  invested  interests.  In 
1892  Mr.  Reynolds  built  the  Masonic  block  at 
Orange,  wliich  is  recognized  as  the  most  sub- 
stantial and  modern  business  structure  in  the 
town,  at  a  cost  of  over  $50,000. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  member  of 
various  Masonic  bodies,  holding  membership  in 
Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Satucket 
Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Bay  State  Command- 
ery.  Knights  Templar,  all  of  Brockton ;  he  is 
also  a  member  of  Aleppo  Temple,  Nobles  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine,  of  Boston.  While  a  resident 
of  Brockton  he  was  a  member  of  the  Commer- 
cial Club,  and  now  holds  membership  in  the 
Pequot  Club,  of  Athol,  which  numbers  among 
its  membership  tlie  leading  business  and  pro- 
fessional men  of  that  community.  In  his  polit- 
ical views  Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  stalwart  Republi- 
can, and  a  strong  advocate  of  no-license. 

On  Nov.  6,  1878,  Mr.  Reynolds  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Ellen  M.  (Phillips) 
Drake,  daughter  of  Benjamin  F.  and  Clara  Jane 
(Smith)  Phillips,  of  Stoughton,  Mass.,  and 
widow  of  the  late  Melvin  Drake.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Reynolds  have  no  children. 

(IX)  BioN  Fourth  Reynolds,  the  sixth 
child   of   the   late   Charles   Turner   and   Sarah 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


659 


Stephens  (Knowles)  Reynolds,  was  born  March 
4,  1856,  in  North  Bridgewater,  now  the  city 
of  Brockton,  Mass.,  at  the  old  homestead  on 
Pleasant  street,  and  acquired  his  early  educa- 
tional training  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
neighborhood,  attending  the  same  until  he  was 
about  fifteen  years  of  age.  During  the  time  not 
spent  in  the  schoolroom,  and  until  he  was  nine- 
teen years  of  age,  he  was  kept  busy  at  shoemak- 
ing  with  his  father,  under  whose  training  he 
learned  the  details  of  the  making  of  shoes  from 
the  cutting  of  the  stock  to  the  finishing  of  the 
same  ready  for  the  market.  At  the  age  of  nine- 
teen years  he  left  his  father's  employ  and  en- 
tered the  shoe  factory  of  his  elder  brother, 
Lowell  Mason  Reynolds,  as  foreman  of  the 
stitching  room,  remaining  in  this  capacity  until 
1881,  at  which  time  he  and  his  younger  bro- 
ther, Luke  Webster  Reynolds,  became  partners 
in  the  business,  which  was  then  conducted  un- 
der the  firm  name  of  L.  M.  Reynolds  &  Co.,  he 
continuing  an  active  member  of  this  firm  for 
a  period  of  nine  years.  Deciding  to  enter  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account,  in  1890,  Mr.  Rey- 
nolds withdrew  from  the  firm  of  L.  M.  Reynolds 
&  Co.  and  established  himself  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  shoes,  locating  in  a  part  of  the  A.  C. 
Thompson  brick  factory  on  Railroad  avenue, 
where  he  remained  in  business  for  about  four 
years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  his  busi- 
ness having  outgrown  his  limited  quarters,  he 
removed  to  the  C.  S.  Pierce  building  on  Mon- 
tello  street,  where  he  continued  for  about  ten 
yeass.  Having  prospered  in  his  venture,  and 
his  business  again  having  reached  that  point 
where  it  required  more  commodious  quarters, 
he  in  May,  1906,  purchased  the  Nahum  John- 
son shoe  factory  building,  at  the  corner  of  War- 
ren avenue  and  Dover  street,  which  had  pre- 
viously been  occupied  as  the  Crawford  shoe 
factory,  and  here  Mr.  Reynolds  has  since  con- 
tinued in  the  manufacture  of  shoes,  having  met 
with  a  marked  success,  as  a  result  of  his  untir- 
ing energy,  perseverance  and  natural  business 
acumen.  He  gives  employment  to  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  hands,  his  factory  having  a 
daily  capacity  of  about  six  hundred  pairs  of 
shoes  of  the  medium-fine  grade  which  retails 
for  $4  or  $5  per  pair,  known  as  the  "Bion" 
shoe ;  this  shoe  enjoys  a  well  merited  reputation 
for  style  and  quality.  The  trade  extends  to 
various  parts  of  this  country  as  well  as  to  Cuba 
and  other  foreign  countries. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Masonic  organization,  holding 
membership  in  Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M. :  Satucket  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  Brockton 
Council,  R.  &  S.  M. ;  and  Bay  State  Command- 


ery,  Knights  Templar — of  Brockton;  and  he 
is  also  a  member  of  Aleppo  Temple,  A.  A.  0. 
N.  M.  S.,  of  Boston.  Socially  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Commercial  Club,  of  Brockton,  which 
numbers  among  its  members  representatives  of 
the  leading  business  and  professional  circles  of 
the  city.  Although  a  stanch  supporter  of  the 
principles  of  the  Republican  party  and  an  ad- 
vocate of  protection  to  American  industries, 
Mr.  Reynolds,  like  his  father  and  brothers,  has 
never  cared  for  nor  sought  public  office,  pre- 
ferring to  give  his  undividecl  attention  to  his 
business.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Plymouth 
County  Trust  Company,  one  of  Brockton's 
thriving  financial  institutions,  and  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Brockton  Shoe  Manufacturers' 
Association.  Mr.  Reynolds  possesses  an  ener- 
getic nature,  and  is  progressive  in  the  manage- 
ment of  his  affairs.  Affable  and  courteous  in 
manner,  he  enjoys  a  large  acquaintance  in  both 
business  and  social  circles. 

On  May  2,  1877,  Mr.  Reynolds  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Ida  Louise  Phillips,  daughter 
of  Frank  and  Susan  (Sprague)  Phillips,  of 
North  Easton,  Mass.,  and  this  union  has  been 
blessed  with  one  daughter,  Marion  Susan  Rey- 
nolds, who  was  graduated  from  Smith  College 
with  the  class  of  1906,  and  resides  at  home 
with  her  parents. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reynolds  affiliate  with  the  Por- 
ter Congregational  Church,  of  Brockton,  and 
are  liberal  in  their  donations  for  the  support 
of  the  church  as  well  as  for  charitable  and 
benevolent  objects. 

(IX)  Luke  Webster  Reynolds,  the  young- 
est son  of  the  late  Charles  Turner  and  Sarah 
Stephens  (Knowles)  Reynolds,  was  born  Feb. 
3,  1859,  in  North  Bridgewater  (now  Brockton), 
Mass.,  at  the  old  homestead  on  Pleasant  street, 
and  received  his  early  educational  training  in 
the  district  No.  10  school  of  his  neighborhood, 
which  he  attended  iintil  he  was  fifteen  years 
of  age.  While  not  at  school,  like  his  elder  broth- 
ers, his  time  was  occupied  in  his  father's  shoe 
factory,  where  he  familiarized  himself  with  the 
details  of  shoemaking,  and  after  leaving  school 
he  continued  employed  in  the  factory  of  his 
father  until  the  latter  discontinued  business. 
Mr.  Reynolds  then  entered  the  employ  of  hie 
brother,  Lowell  M.  Reynolds,  who  was  engaged 
in  the  manufacturing  of  shoes,  with  whom  he 
remained  until  he  had  reached  his  majority.  He 
then  accepted  a  position  in  the  shoe  factory  of 
his  brother.  Jay  B.  Reynolds,  and  became  super- 
intendent of  the  latter's  shoe  manufacturing 
plant,  in  which  capacity  he  continued  for  some 
time,  until  he  became  a  partner  in  the  firm  of 
L.  M.  Reynolds  &  Co.,  shoe  manufacturers.    At 


660 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


the  end  of  six  months,  however,  he  returned  to 
his  former  position  with  Jay  B.  Reynolds.  Upon 
retiring  from  the  latter  position,  in  1886,  he 
then  engaged  in  the  leather  business  on  Elm 
street,  in  partnership  with  John  W.  Snow,  un- 
der the  firm  name  of  Snow  &  Reynolds,  this 
partnership  continuing  until  1891,  when  Mr. 
Reynolds  sold  out  his  interest  to  his  partner 
and  engaged  in  the  leather  business  on  his  own 
account,  continuing  in  that  line  for  about  two 
years.  In  1893  he  again  went  to  work  for  L. 
M.  Reynolds  &  Co.,  as  an  upper  leather  cutter, 
continuing  in  that  position  until  1898,  in 
which  year  he  formed  the  Bicycle  Shoe  Com- 
pany, of  Marlboro,  Mass.,  with  liis  brother,  L. 
M.  Reynolds,  as  partner,  and  removed  the  busi- 
ness to  Brockton,  where  in  the  zenith  of  this 
firm's  career  from  100,000  to  125,000  pairs  of 
bicycle  shoes  were  manufactured  annually.  Mr. 
Reynolds  was  a  partner  in  this  business,  of 
which  he  was  general  manager  during  its  ex- 
istence. As  the  pleasure  of  bicycle  riding  be- 
gan 'to  wane  the  demand  for  their  product  de- 
creased, and  Mr.  Reynolds  eventually,  in  1902, 
purchased  the  interests  of  his  brother,  L.  M. 
Reynolds.  He  has  since  .continued  to  conduct 
the  business  successfully,  under  the  name  of 
Luke  W.  Reynolds.  For  several  years  Mr.  Rey- 
nolds' business  was  located  in  a  portion  of  the 
large  brick  manufacturing  building  of  the 
Brockton  Last  Company,  on  Court  street,  until, 
in  July,  1909,  after  the  death  of  Nathaniel  R. 
Packard,  he  leased  the  latter's  shoe  factory  on 
Centre  street,  to  which  building  he  has  removed 
his  business.  Mr.  Reynolds  employs  about  one 
hundred  hands,  and  manufactures  about  six 
hundred  pairs  of  shoes  per  day.  Since  remov- 
ing his  business  to  the  N.  R.  Packard  factory, 
he  has  added  the  making  of  welt  shoes  to  retail 
at  $2.50  per  pair,  in  connection  with  the  man- 
ufacturing of  the  McKay  sewed  shoes  retailing 
at  $2  per  pair,  which  has  been  his  specialty 
since  engaging  in  business  on  his  own  account. 

Like  his  brothers,  Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  holding  membership 
in  Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Satucket 
Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  Brockton  Council,  R.  & 
S.  M.,  and  Bay  State  Commandery,  Knights 
Templar,  all  of  Brockton,  and  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  Aleppo  Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  of  Boston.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
Harmony  Lodge,  No.  27,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
of  Brockton,  and  for  several  years  held  member- 
fihip  in  the  Uniform  Rank  of  the  same  lodge, 
having  been  captain  of  the  latter  body. 

Socially  Mr.  Reynolds  is  an  active  member 
of  the  Commercial  Club  and  the  Merchants' 
and  Manufacturers'  Club,  of  Brockton.     When 


but  eighteen  years  of  age  he  joined  the  Han- 
cock Engine  Company,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  was  an  active  member  of  that  organiza- 
tion, now  being  a  member  of  the  Veteran  Fire- 
men's Association,  of  Brockton.  In  political 
faith  he  is  a  stanch  adherent  to  the  principles 
of  the  Republican  party.  He  affiliates  with 
the  First  Congregational  Church  of  his  native 
city,  of  which  his  wife  is  a  member. 

On  Oct.  21,  1891,  Mr.  Reynolds  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Elizabeth  W.  Adams,  daughter 
of  Benjamin  and  Deborah  (Ellis)  Adams,  of 
Pocasset,  Mass.,  and  by  this  union  there  is  one 
daughter,  Marie  Adams  Reynolds,  who  was  born 
April  27,  1894. 

Of  a  genial,  whole-souled  nature,  Mr.  Rey- 
nolds enjoys  the  acquaintance  of  a  large  circle 
of  business  and  social  friends  with  whom  he  is 
deservedly  popular. 

LANE  (Rockland  family).  The  Rockland 
Lane  family,  the  head  of  which  was  the  late 
Hon.  Jenkins  Lane,  the  founder  of  the  exten- 
sive shoe  manufacturing  establishment  in  that 
town  bearing  the  family  name,  a  representative 
in  the  Massachusetts  General  Court,  etc.,  sev- 
eral of  whose  sons  grew  up  in  the  business  and 
followed  in  the  father's  footsteps  as  honorable 
and  successful  business  men  and  representative 
citizens  of  their  community,  among  whom  were 
the  late  Richmond  Jenkins  Lane,  the  present 
Zenas  M.  Lane,  the  late  Alonzo  Lane  and  the 
present  Maj.  Everett  Lane  (a  gallant  officer 
of  the  Civil  war),  is  one  of  long  and  honorable 
standing  in  the  Commonwealth,  early  at  Dor- 
chester, then  in  Hingham  and  still  later  in 
Abington  and  Rockland.  The  especial  family 
alluded  to  in  the  foregoing  is  reviewed  in  what 
follows  from  the  ^immigrant  Dorchester  set- 
tler to  the  present. 

(I)  William  Lane,  of  the  County  of  Norfolk, 
England,  was  early  at  Dorchester,  placed  there 
by  one  writer  as  early  as  1635.  He  was  a  pro- 
prietor in  1637.  In  his  will,  proved  July  6, 
165-1,  he  mentions  two  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters :  Elizabeth  married  Thomas  River ;  Mary 
married  (first)  Joseph  Long  and  (second)  Jo- 
seph Farnsworth ;  Avis  (or  Avith)  married 
Thomas  Lincoln,  "the  cooper" ;  George ;  Sarah 
married  Nathaniel  Baker ;  and  Andrew. 

(II)  Andrew  Lane  had  a  house  lot  of  five 
acres  on  what  became  North  street  in  Hingham. 
He  had  other  grants  and  bought  in  1648  a 
house  lot  of  five  acres  with  a  dwelling  and  build- 
ings thereon.  He  also  purchased  other  prop- 
erty. The  Christian  name  of  his  wife  was 
Tryphena,  and  they  resided  on  North  street, 
next  west  of  the  way  leading  to  Squirrel  Hill. 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


661 


He  died  May  1,  1675.     She  died  Jan.  2,  1706- 

07,  aged  about  ninety-five  years.  Their  chil- 
dren, all  baptized  in  Hingham,  were:  Andrew, 
Aug.  16,  1646;  Mary,  Aug.  16,  1646  (married 
William  Orcott) ;  Abigail,  Aug.  16,  1646  (mar- 
ried Daniel  Stodder)  ;  John,  Jan.  30,  1647-48; 
Ephraim,  in  February,  1649-50 ;  Deborah,  June 
20,  1652  (married  William  Sprague) ;  Joshua, 
Aug.  20,  1654;  Caleb,  July  17,  1657;  Hannah, 
Sept.  30,  1658  (married  Jeremiah  Beal  (2)). 

(III)  Andrew  Lane  (2),  baptized  Aug.  16, 
1646,  in  Hingham,  married  Dec.  5,  1672,  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Mark  Eames.  He  was  a 
wheelwright  and  resided  on  what  became  Main, 
nearly  opposite  Water  street.  He  died  Dec.  4, 
1717,  in  his  seventy-fifth  year,  and  she  Nov. 

•21,  1727,  aged  eighty-three  years.  Their  chil- 
dren, all  born  in  Hingham,  were:  John,  born 
Oct.  13,  1673;  Elizabeth,  born  Nov.  20,  1675, 
who  married  Samuel  Low;  Andrew,  born  Feb. 

8,  1677-78;  Bethia,  born  Aug.  20,  1680,  who 
married  Simon  Stodder;  Isaac,  bom  April  8, 
1683;  Jonathan,  born  Dec.  27,  1685;  and  Solo- 
mon, born  Jan  12,  1693-94. 

(IV)  Jonathan  Lane,  born  Dec.  27,  1685,  in 
Hingham,  Mass.,  married  Oct.  30,  1718,  Abi- 
gail, born  March  3,  1693-94,  in  Hingham, 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Abigail  (Lincoln) 
Andrews.  He  was  a  farmer  and  resided  on  the 
paternal  homestead  on  Main,  nearly  opposite 
Water  street,  Hingham,  Mass.  He  died  Oct. 
15,  1777,  in  his  ninety-second  year.  She  died 
May  26,  1763,  aged  sixty-nine  years.  Their 
children,  all  born  in  Hingham,  were :  Jonathan, 
Aug.  18,  1719;  David,  Oct.  19,  1722;  Daniel, 
May  28,  1724;  Moses,  Dec.  31,  1726;  Abigail, 
May  7,  1730;  Euth,  April  10,  1734  (married 
Nathaniel  Bangs)  ;  and  Caleb,  Nov.  22,  1739. 

(V)  Daniel  Lane,  born  May  28,  1724,  in 
Hingham,  Mass.,  married  (first)  May  19, 
1745-46,  Lydia,  baptized  Oct.  8,  1727,  in  Hing- 
ham, daughter  of  Samuel  and  Lydia  (Whiting) 
Tower.  He  married  (second)  Aug.  14,  1773, 
Bethia  Cushing.  He  was  a  cooper  by  occupa- 
tion. About  1748  the  family  removed  to  the 
town  of  Abington,  Mass.,  where  Mr.  Lane  died 
March  13,  1816,  in  his  ninety-second  year.  His 
children  by  wife  Lydia  were :  Lydia,  born  July 
11,  1746,  who  married  Jacob  Smith,  of  Abing- 
ton; Susanna,  born  in  Abington  Aug.  1,  1748, 
who  married  Philip  Shaw,  of  Abington ;  Daniel, 
born  Feb.  25,  1750-51;  Olive,  born  April  8, 

.1754;  Euth,  born  June  27,  1756;  Christiana, 
bom  Nov.  29,  1760;  Caleb,  born  Nov.  4,  1763; 
Charles,  born  April  19,  1765,  and  Nabby,  born 
Dec.  11,  1768,  who  married  Oliver  Stetson. 

(VI)  Charles  Lane,  born  April  19,  1765, 
married   May   25,   1788,   Eachel,  daughter  of 


David  Jenkins,  and  settled  on  what  became 
Union  and  Market  streets,  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  town.  She  died  April  14,  1840,  and  lie 
in  September,  1849.  Their  children  were: 
David,  born  July  12,  1791,  married  Euth  Lin- 
coln; Charles,  born  Jan.  27,  1793,  married 
Sarah  I.'eed;  Eachel,  born  Sept.  14,  1797,  died 
Oct.  23,  1805;  Eichmond,  born  Oct.  U,  1799, 
died  in  infancy;  Jenkins,  born  July  24,  1801, 
is  mentioned  below;  Lydia,  born  Nov.  1,  1803, 
married  Harvey  Torrey. 

(VII)  Jenkins  Lane,  son  of  Charles  and 
Eachel  (Jenkins)  Lane,  was  born  in  the  eastern 
part  of  Abington,  Mass.,  July  24,  1801.  He 
acquired  a  common  school  education  and  then 
learned  the  shoemaker's  trade,  working  for  a 
number  of  years  at  the  bench.  He  worked  for 
years  for  others  before  beginning  business  for 
himself  in  a  small  way.  He  persevered,  was 
industrious,  managed  his  affairs  well  and  pros- 
pered, his  business  gradually  increasing  as  the 
years  came  and  went  until  he  had  developed  a 
great  and  profitable  trade.  In  time  he  took 
his  sons  into  partnership  with  him,  and  the 
concern  did  work  to  the  extent  of  several  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  dollars  a  year;  and  the 
senior  member  of  the  firm  lived  to  see  the  sales 
reach  a  million  dollars  a  year.  During  the 
latter  part  of  his  life  Mr.  Lane  turned  the 
business  over  to  his  sons  and  devoted  his  time 
to  inventions  and  the  improvement  of  machin- 
ery, an  occupation  that  was  much  to  his  liking. 

Mr.  Lane  was  for  many  years  not  only  a  sub- 
stantial man  and  citizen,  prominent  in  business, 
but  a  useful  member  of  his  community.  He 
represented  Abington  in  the  Massachusetts  Gen- 
eral Court  in  1846,  served  for  years  as  a.  direc- 
tor of  the  Abington  National  Bank  and  was  the 
first  president  of  the  Abington  Savings  Bank. 
He  was  also  for  a  time  treasurer  of  the  Hanover 
Branch  Eailroad  Company. 

On  Dec.  22,  1825,  Mr.  Lane  married  Meheta- 
bel  Pratt  Jenkins,  daughter  of  Zenas  Jenkins, 
.and  there  came  to  them  children  born  as  fol- 
lows: Eichmond  Jenkins,  Oct.  6,  1826;  Zenas 
M.,  Oct.  22,  1828;  Mehetabel  Pratt,  May  9, 
1831  (married  Dec.  29,  1852,  Eev.  John  W. 
Harding,  of  Longmeadow,  Mass.,  where  she 
now  resides,  a  widow)  ;  Elvira,  April  23,  1833 
(married  Oct.  8,  1852,  Jefferson  Shaw) ; 
Alonzo,  April  12,  1835;  Everett,  June  27, 
1836;  and  Maria  Jane,  Sept.  28,  1839  (died 
Oct.  6,  1840). 

(VIII)  Eichmond  Jenkins  Lane,  son  of 
the  late  Hon.  Jenkins  and  Mehetabel  Pratt 
(Jenkins)  Lane,  was  bom  Oct.  6,  1826,  in 
Abington,  Mass.  He  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  his  native  town,  and  after  com- 


663 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


pleting  his  course  tliere  took  another  at  the 
high  school  at  Quincy.  He  entered  the  otfice 
of  his  father's  shoe  factory  at  an  early  age  and 
worked  there  for  many  years.  He  was  subse- 
quently promoted  to  a  partnership  and  finally 
became  the  head  of  tiie  firm  of  Jenkins  Lane  & 
Sons,  which  for  many  years  was  one  of  the 
largest  shoe  companies  in  this  section. 

Mr.  Lane  during  his  early  life  took  a  promi- 
nent part  in  town  affairs  and  served  in  various 
town  offices.  He  was  one  of  those  who  were  in- 
strumental in  building  tiic  Hanover  Branch 
railroad  and  served  for  many  years  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  directors.  He  was  also  in- 
terested for  a  number  of  years  in  the  coal  and 
grain  business  now  carried  on  under  the  name 
of  the  Albert  Culver  Company.  For  many 
years  he  was  president  of  the  Abington  Nation- 
al Bank  and  of  the  Rockland  Savings  Bank. 
He  was  for  forty-three  years  a  member  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of  his  town  and 
for  thirty  years  was  parish  treasurer  of  the  so- 
ciety. He  was  a  deacon  for  twenty-one  years 
and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  for 
about  the  same  length  of  time. 

Mr.  Lane  died  at  Hanson,  Mass.,  Jan.  9, 
1905,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  The  funeral 
services  took  place  the  following  Thursday  af- 
ternoon at  the  residence  of  his  brother,  Alonzo 
Lane,  on  South  Union  street,  Rockland,  Mass. 
The  services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  Edgar  C. 
Wheeler,  and  the  body  was  taken  to  Abington 
for  interment  in  Mount  Vernon  cemetery. 
There  were  many  handsome  floral  tributes. 

On  Dec.  22,  1845,  Mr.  Lane  married  Sarah 
Ann  Poole,  who  was  born  in  Rockland,  daugh- 
ter of  Micah  H.  and  Sally  (Hunt)  Poole,  and 
died  Jan.  7,  1897,  at  Longmeadow,  Massachu- 
setts. 

(VIII)  Zenas  M.  Lan?;,  son  of  Jenkins  and 
Mehetabel  Pratt  (Jenkins)  Lane,  was  born  in 
East  Abington  (now  Rockland)  Oct.  23,  1828. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  the 
town  and  at  Andover  Academy,  and  from  an 
early  age  was  interested  in  the  shoe  manufac- 
turing business  with  his  father  and  brothers, 
in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Rockland,  where 
the  firm  of  Jenkins  Lane  &  Sons  were  the  lead- 
ing manufacturers.  After  the  death  of  his 
father  he  was  similarly  engaged  in  partnership 
with  his  brother  Richmond  Jenkins  Lane,  un- 
der the  firm  name  of  R.  J.  &  Z.  M.  Lane,  but 
this  continued  for  only  a  short  time.  Then  he 
became  a  partner  with  his  brother  Maj.  Everett 
Lane.  In  1889  he  withdrew  from  business  and 
has  since  led  a  retired  life.  Unassuming  and 
quiet,  but  genial  and  companionable,  Mr.  Lane 
has  made  many  friends  of  whose  good  will  he  is 


keenly  appreciative.  PHs  modest  disposition, 
however,  has  not  prevented  him  from  being  a 
good  citizen  or  from  helping  his  fellowmen 
upon  occasion,  but  he  has  never  gone  into  any- 
thing of  a  public  nature.  He  is  a  Republican 
in  politics. 

On  Jan.  15,  1851,  Mr.  Lane  married  Emeline 
Morse,  daughter  of  Moses  Morse,  of  Pawtucket, 
R.  I.  Mrs.  Lane  died  in  Rockland  Jan.  13, 
1904. 

(VIII)  Aloxzo  Lane,  son  of  Hon.  Jenkins 
and  Mehetabel  Pratt  (Jenkins)  Lane,  was  born 
April  12,  1835,  in  Abington,  Mass.,  and  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  the  town. 
When  a  young  man  he  went  into  the  shoe  busi- 
ness with  his  father  and  brothers  under  the 
firm  name  of  Jenkins  Lane  &  Sons.  He  was 
also  for  many  years  engaged  in  the  leather  busi- 
ness in  Boston  as  a  member  of  the  firms  of 
Lane,  Pierce  &  Co.,  and  A.  &  E.  Lane,  but  re- 
tired from  that  end  of  the  shoe  business  many 
years  ago,  and  with' his  brother,  Everett  Lane, 
engaged  in  the  tannery  business  at  Sand  Bank, 
Altmar,  N.  Y.  The  tanneries  w-ere  destroyed 
by  fire  a  number  of  years  ago  and  after  that 
time  Mr.  Lane  withdrew  to  retired  life.  He 
always  took  a  deep  interest  in  his  native  town, 
and,  while  he  never  held  office,  he  was  always 
ready  with  a  pleasant  word  of  encouragement 
and  always  ready  to  help  the  town  in  any  way 
in  liis  power.  He  erected  the  large  residence 
on  South  Union  street  which  he  occupied  for 
many  years.  It  was  for  years  one  of  the  best 
in  Rockland. 

Mr.  Lane  married  (first)  Sept.  19,  1856, 
Maria,  daughter  of  Judson  Smith,  and  they  had 
one  child,  Myra,  who  makes  her  home  with  her 
step-mother  and  uncles,  in  Rockland,  Mass. 
Mr.  Lane's  second  marriage  was  to  Helen  E. 
Stetson,  daughter  of  the  late  Martin  S.  Stet- 
son, of  Whitman,  and  they  had  one  son,  Jen- 
kins Lane,  now  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.  Mr. 
Lane  died  suddenly  Sept.  18,  1907,  at  Long- 
meadow,  Mass.  The  body  was  returned  to 
Rockland  for  interment  in  Mount  Vernon  ceme- 
tery, and  the  funeral  services  held  from  the 
home  of  his  brother,  Zenas  M.  Lane,  on  Union 
street,  the  Sunday  afternoon  following  his 
death,  the  officiating  minister  being  Rev.  Fred 
Hovey  Allen,  of  New  York  City,  former  pastor 
of  the  First  Congregational  Church  at  Rock- 
land. 

(VIII)  Ma.t.  Eveuett  Lane,  son  of  the  late 
Hon.  Jenkins  and  Mehetabel  Pratt  (Jenkins) 
Lane,  was  born  June  27,  1836,  in  East  Abing- 
ton, now  Rockland,  Mass.  After  being  duly 
educated  he  entered  the  boot  and  shoe  manufac- 
turing establishment  of   his  father,   and  early 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


663 


in  the  Civil  war  from  the  counting  room  went 
to  the  defense  of  his  country,  enlisting  Aug. 
28,  1868,  in  Company  G,  43d  Regiment,  Mas- 
sachusetts Volunteer  Infantry.  He  entered  the 
service  as  private,  was  chosen  captain  of  the 
company,  and  Oct.  20tli  following  promoted 
to  major  of  the  regiment.  Although  direct 
from  the  office  on  entering  the  service  he  soon 
became  proficient  in  military  tactics  and  often 
was  selected  to  command  the  battalion  on  drill 
while  at  Kewbern,  N.  C.  He  took  part  with 
the  regiment  in  the  battles  of  Kinston,  White- 
hall, Goldsboro  and  Blount's  Creek,  in  North 
Carolina,  and  while  in  command  of  a  portion 
of  the  regiment  at  Springbank,  near  Golds- 
boro, became  the  target  for  three  successive 
shots  from  a  Rebel  sharpshooter  posted  in  a  dis- 
tant tree.  A  corporal  and  a  private  of  Com- 
pany E  were  shot  at  this  place,  and  the  body 
of  the  corporal  could  not  be  recovered.  In 
July,  1863,  Major  Lane  was  provost  marshal 
of  Harper's  Ferry  and  vicinity,  with  head- 
quarters at  Sandy  Hook,  Md.,  but  by  reason  of 
expiration  of  his  term  of  service  returned  home 
with  his  regiment  and  was  mustered  out  at 
Readville,  Mass.,  July  30,  1863.  While  the 
regiment  was  on  the  way  home  to  be  mustered 
out,  and  while  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  Major  Lane 
with  a  portion  of  his  regiment  volunteered  dur- 
ing the  Gettysburg  campaign,  to  go  to  the  front, 
and  were  attached  to  the  6th  Corps,  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  Major  Lane  is  a  member  of 
Hartsuff  Post,  No.' 74,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Rockland, 
which  he  joined  in  1890,  and  of  the  Military 
Order  of  the  Loval  Legion  of  the  United 
States. 

After  the  war  Major  Lane  went  to  New  Or- 
leans in  the  interest  of  the  firm  of  Jenkins 
Lane  &  Sons,  being  thus  engaged  for  twelve 
years.  In  1877  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
his  brother  Zenas  M.,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Z.  M.  &  E.  Lane,  shoe  manufacturers,  and  they 
did  business  together  until  1882,  when  he  be- 
came interested  with  his  brother  Alonzo  in  the 
leather  business.  He  remained  in  this  line  for 
twelve  years,  having  a  tannery  at  Sand  Bank, 
N.  Y.,  and  during  ten  years  of  this  time  they 
"had  a  wholesale  place  in  Boston.  He  is  now 
living  retired,  making  his  home  in  Rockland. 

On  June  84,  1857,  Major  Lane  married 
Sarah  S.  Warne,  daughter  of  William  M. 
Warne,  of  Washington,  New  Jersey. 

STETSON.  (I)  Robert  Stetson,  commonly 
called  Cornet  Robert,  because  he  was  cornet  of 
the  first  Horse  Company  raised  in  Plymouth 
Colony  in  1658  or  1659,  tradition  says  came 
from  the  County  of  Kent,  England.     He  set- 


tled in  Scituate,  Mass.,  in  1634,  in  which  year 
he  received  from  the  Colony  court  quite  a  large 
^rant  of  land,  lying  on  the  North  river.  His 
liouse  stood  ui>on  a  sloping  plain,  near  the 
bank  of  the  river,  and  an  unfailing  and  valuable 
spring,  which  supplied  him  and  his  descend- 
ants with  water  for  two  hundred  and  more 
years,  still  marks  the  spot.  Pope  in  his  "Pio- 
neers of  Massachusetts"  calls  him  a  carpenter, 
of  Duxbury,  and  has  him  constable  March  7, 
1648-43,  and  a  freeman  of  1653.  He  was  a 
very  enterprising  man  from  the  time  of  his 
first  settlement  in  the  Colony,  and  was  held 
in  high  esteem  by  his  townsmen  and  by  the 
Colony  in  general.  In  1656  he  built  a  sawmill 
on  what  was  then  called  "third  Herring  brook," 
which  was  burned  by  the  Indians  in  1676.  He 
was  a  deputy  to  the  General  Court  seventeen 
years  between  1654  and  1678.  He  was  chosen 
a  member  of  the  Council  of  War  in  1661,  and 
in  1681  he  was  holding  that  office.  In  the  war 
with  Philip  and  other  Indians  of  different 
tribes  he  was  an  active  officer  and  rendered 
valuable  assistance.  He  made  his  will  Sept. 
4,  1708,  being  aged,  which  will  was  probated 
March  5,  1702-03,  in  which  he  bequeathed  to 
wife  Mary,  sons  Joseph,  Benjamin,  Samuel  and 
Robert.  His  children  baptized  at  the  Second 
Church  of  Scituate  were :  Joseph,  born  in  June, 
1639;  Benjamin,  born  August,  1641;  Thomas, 
born  Dec.  11,  1643;  Samuel,  born  in  June, 
1646;  John,  born  in  April,  1648;  Eunice,  born 
April  28,  1650;  Lois,  born  February,  1652; 
and  Robert,  born  Jan.  8!),  1653. 

(II)  Robert  Stetson  (8),  son  of  Robert,  born 
Jan.  89,  1653,  married  in  1676,  Joanna  Brooks, 
and  his  house  was  burned  by  the  Indians  in 
that  same  year.  He  seems  to  have  lived  in 
what  became  the  town  of  Pembroke ;  the  latter 
became  a  separate  town  in  1712,  when  Robert 
Stetson  and  his  son  Isaac  were  heads  of  fami- 
lies there.  Almost  all  the  descendants  of  these 
two  heads  of  families  continued  to  live  in  Pem- 
broke and  vicinity;  and  the  familv  has  been  a 
noted  one,  from  the  fact  that  its  members  have 
been  very  extensively  engaged  in' the  iron  busi- 
ness, and  yet  rank  among  the  foremost  of  those 
engaged  in  this  business  in  Plymouth  county, 
or  even  in  Massachusetts.  Robert's  children 
were:  Isaac,  Timothy,  Resolved,  Sarah,  who 
married  Ebenezer  Bennett,  of  Middleboro,  and 
Nathaniel. 

(III)  Isaac  Stetson,  son  of  Robert  (2),  mar- 
ried and  had  children:  Abisha,  born  about 
1706;  Nathaniel,  born  about  1708;  John,  born 
about  1710;  Janet,  baptized  March  23,  1729, 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  (married  Benjamin 
Thomas);  Peleg,  born  in  1714;  Jerusha,  born 


664 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


about  1718  (married  Elisha  Palmer) ;  Agatha, 
born  about  1720  (married  William  Page)  ; 
Mary,  born  about  1722  (married  Peleg  West, 
of  Kingston). 

(IV)  Peleg  Stetson,  son  of  Isaac,  born  in 
1714,  married  March  9,  1738,  Mercy  Ramsdell, 
and  lived  in  Abington,  where  he  died  in  1806, 
aged  over  ninety  years.  His  children  were : 
Isaac,  born  Aug.  23,  1738;  Ephraim,  born  in 
July,  1740,  who  died  in  April,  1743;  Ephraim 
(2),  born  March  28,  1743;  Oliver,  born  in 
1745;  Levi,  born  in  June,  1747;  Betty,  born  in 
April,  1749,  who  died  young;  Peleg,  born  in 
April,  1751;  Laban,  born  in  August,  1753; 
Betty  (2),  baptized  Oct.  19,  1755;  Hannah; 
and  Mercy. 

(V)  Ephraim  Stetson,  son  of  I'eleg,  born 
March  28,  1743,  married  Ruth  Ford,  and  their 
children  were :  Ephraim,  Barnabas,  Lydia 
(married  Daniel  Barstow),  Ruth  (married 
Ward  Bates),  and  Mary  (married  Amos  Ford). 

(VI)  Barnabas  Stetson,  son  of  Ephraim, 
born  April  27,  1775,  married  Oct.  10,  1802, 
Lucy,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Betsej  (Tilden) 
Barstow,  and  lived  in  the  town  of  Hanover, 
Mass.  Their  children  were:  Amos,  Lucy  B., 
Martin  S.,  Lydia,  Julia  Ann  (married  Samuel 
Blake)  and  Barnabas.  The  father  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  B.  &  E.  Stetson,  his  partner 
being  his  brother,  which  firm  carried  on  a  large 
mercantile  business,  operating  stores  at  what  is 
now  Rockland  and  Hanover  Four  Corners.  He 
was  also  extensively  interested  in  other  branches 
of  business — farming,  brick  manufacturing, 
etc.     He  was  an  active,  energetic  business  man. 

(VII)  Martin  S.  Stetson,  son  of  Barnabas, 
was  born  June  1,  1809,  in  East  Abington,  Mass. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  district 
schools  of  his  native  town  and  at  the  Bolton 
(Mass.)  Academy.  At  the  age  of  twelve 
years  he  began  employment  in  the  store  of  an 
uncle  in  Hanover,  Mass.,  with  whom  he  con- 
tinued several  years  until  the  death  of  a 
brother  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  return 
home  to  assist  his  father.  He  remained  at 
home  until  he  reached  his  majority,  in  the 
meantime  teaching  winter  school  several  terms 
in  East  Abington  and  Hanover.  In  1835,  as- 
sociated with  Samuel  Blake,  Jr.,  he  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  boots  and  shoes,  the  firm 
style  being  Stetson  &  Blake ;  this  was  one  of  the 
earliest  firms  so  engaged  in  that  vicinity.  In 
a  few  years  this  partnership  was  dissolved, 
when  Mr.  Stetson  carried  on  the  business  alone. 
In  1840  he  opened  a  store  in  Mobile,  Ala.,  for 
the  sale  of  his  product,  this  establishment  being 
in  the  charge  of  his  brother,  and  through  the 
efforts  of  himself  and  brother,  he  going  South 


occasionally,  an  extensive  business  was  devel- 
oped in  that  section.  From  that  time  on  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Stetson  went 
South  in  the  interest  of  the  business  there- 
yearly,  where  he  passed  the  greater  part  of  each 
year.  He  maintained  a  pleasant  home  at  East 
Abington,  to  which  he  returned  each  summer 
during  his  long  stay  in  the  South,  later  re- 
moving to  South  Abington,  now  Whitman,  just 
prior  to  the  Civil  war.  As  early  as  1850  he 
had  associated  with  him  in  business  James  B. 
Studley,  of  Hanover,  to  whom  latterly  the  ac- 
tive management  of  the  business  was  entrusted. 
Suffice  it  to  say  of  the  Southern  end  of  the 
business  that  the  losses  to  the  house  incurred 
by  the  war  were  into  the  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  dollars. 

Mr.  Stetson  was  extensively  known  in  and 
about  Mobile,  where  his  reputation  as  a  busi- 
ness man  and  citizen  was  high.  After  the  close- 
of  the  war  he  returned  to  Mobile,  where  he  was 
well  received  and  again  established  himself  in 
business  and  again  enjoyed  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  his  Southern  friends,  and  as  well 
again  built  up  an  extensive  business.  This  he- 
turned  the  management  of  over  to  a  son  in 
1869  and  he  himself  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness. From  1861  to  1865  Mr.  Stetson  had  a 
branch  store  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota.   - 

Mr.  Stetson  traveled  quite  extensively  in  his 
own  country.  In  1870,  on  the  completion  of 
the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  he  joined  the  first 
organized  excursion — that  of  the  Boston  Board 
of  Trade — over  it  to  California,  Yosemite  Val- 
ley, etc.  At  Mobile  he  was  a  member  of  the- 
Presbjrterian  Church  of  the  city.  He  was  a 
director  of  the  Abington  National  Bank.  He- 
was  a  strong  temperance  man;  was  president 
of  the  first  young  men's  temperance  society  or- 
ganized in  Plymouth  county. 

Aside    from    being    an    able    and    successful 
business  man,  for  which  he  was  admired,  he- 
had  a  kindly,  generous  nature  which  appealed 
to   all   who   knew    him   and   his   friends   were- 
legion.     Ever  straightforward  and  honorable  in 
all  of  his  business  and  social  relations  of  life,, 
he  had  the  copfidence  of  all  who  came  in  contact 
with  him  and  who  esteemed  and  respected  him 
for    these    virtues.     He    had    an    erect,    manly' 
bearing,  and  was  dignified  and  commanding  in 
person. 

On  Nov.  14,  1836,  Mr.  Stetson  was  married 
to  Eliza  A.,  daughter  of  John  Thomas,  of  Troy, 
N.  Y.,  where  her  father  held  the  office  of 
chamberlain.  Their  children  were :  John  T., 
deceased;  Amos  Sumner,  deceased;  Helen  E., 
widow  of  Alonzo  Lane;  Julia  B.,  deceased;, 
and  Virginia  A.,  deceased. 


^2!l.=^y£^^>^:^^'-^^ 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


665 


GEORGE  HOWARD  TALBOT,  founder  of 
the  Norton  Mills  Company,  now  the  Talbot 
Wool  Combing  Company,  Inc.,  and  a  well- 
known  and  prominent  citizen  of  Norton,  is  a 
descendant  of  an  old  established  family  of  Bris- 
tol county,  ancient  and  honored  in  England  as 
well  as  America. 

In  1035  A.  D.  Hugh  Talebot  granted  a 
charter  to  Trinite  du  Mont,  Rouen,  Normandy, 
and  1066  A.  D.  le  Sire  Talebot,  a  Norman 
Rnight,  went  into  England  with  William  the 
Conqueror  and  fought  under  him  at  Hastings ; 
his  name  is  on  the  roll  of  Battle  Abbey.  There 
were  peers  among  the  English  Talbots,  and  no- 
bles, gentlemen,  scholars,  and  men  famed  in 
the  wars.  In  1442  John  Talbot  was  created 
first  Earl  of  Shrewsbury.  Among  some  of  the 
more  distinguished  American  Talbots  may  be 
mentioned  Governor  Talbot  of  Massachusetts, 
and  Bishop  Ethelbert  Talbot,  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal   Church,   Pennsylvania. 

Here  in  New  England,  in  the  now  Common- 
wealth of  Massachusetts,  appears  at  Taunton 
one  Jared  or  Garratt  Talbot,  who  was  there 
married  April  1,  1664,  to  Sarah  Andrews, 
probably  daughter  of  Henry  Andrews,  of  that 
town,  and  their  children  were:  Jared,  born 
March  20,  1667;  Mary,  born  Dec.  14,  1671; 
Samuel,  born  Feb.  29,  1676;  Josiah,  born  Oct. 
12.  1678;  and  Nathaniel,  born  Feb.  21,  1681.. 

Jared  Talbot  (2),  son  of  Jared  and  Sarah 
(Andrews)  Talbot,  born  March  20,  1667,  in 
Taunton,  married  May  4,  1687,  Rebecca  Hatha- 
way. Mr.  Talbot  seemingly  from  the  records 
bore  the  title  of  captain.  He  was  one  of  the 
proprietors  of  the  South  Purchase,  territory 
bought  from  the  Indians  in  1672.  This  addi- 
tion to  Taunton  began  to  be  permanently  set- 
tled just  after  King  Philip's  war,  1675-76, 
and  Capt.  Jared  Talbot  was  one  of  the  very 
earliest  settlers  in  it,  and  contemporaneous 
with  him  were  Ephraim  Hathaway,  Edward 
Babbitt  and  Nicholas  Stephens,  of  whom  the 
first  named  had  eleven  children,  the  other  two 
nine  each.  Captain  Talbot  and  hi?  wife  lost 
their  first  child,  a  son  born  March  26,  1688, 
who  died  within  a  few  weeks.  They  then  had 
children:  Nathan  (born  April  4,  1690),  Jo- 
siah, Jacob,  John,  Elizabeth,  Seth,  Rebecca, 
Ebenezer,  and  others  to  the  number  of  four- 
teen in  all,  several  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 

Out  of  the  territory  just  alluded  to — the 
South  Purchase — came  the  town  of  Dighton, 
which  was  incorporated  in  1712.  In  the  pre- 
liminary work  bringing  the  new  town  into  ex- 
istence and  in  its  early  history  the  name  of 
Capt.  Jared  Talbot  appears  frequently,  evi- 
dencing his   activity   and   prominence   in   the 


community.  He  was  the  second  town  clerk 
of  Dighton,  the  first  having  been  Joseph  Deane. 
Captain  Talbot  was  one  of  the  leading  men  of 
the  settlement  and  one  of  the  fifteen  signers 
of  an  agreement  made  in  1708  with  the  east 
side  of  the  river  to  build  a  separate  meeting- 
house and  support  their  own  minister.  At  that 
time  Assonet  Neck  was  a  part  of  Taunton, 
having  been  annexed  in  1677,  and  constituted 
a  part  of  the  lands  forfeited  by  King  Philip. 
It  was  purchased  from  the  governmemt  and  was 
annexed  to  Taunton  in  1682,  and  in  1799  was 
set  off  as  Berkley.  It  became  a  part  of  Digh- 
ton on  the  latter's  incorporation.  May  30,  1712. 

From  the  early  period  alluded  to — from  the 
very  dawn  of  civilization  in  Dighton  to  the 
present — the  Talbots  have  been  identified  with 
the  history  of  the  town.  From  Dighton  came 
the  Norton  branch  of  the  Talbot  family. 

Joseph  Talbot  married  Nov.  11,  1742,  Ruth 
Reed,  born  Nov.  3,  1727,  daughter  of  George 
and  Sarah  Reed.  Their  children  were:  Seth, 
born  Nov.  20,  1743;  John,  born  July  17,  1745; 
Hannah,  born  March  9,  1747;  David,  bom 
Nov.  19,  1748;  Marian,  born  May  25,  1750; 
and  Joseph,  born  in  1752. 

Joseph  Talbot  (2),  son  of  Joseph,  married 
in  1773  Sarah  Luther,  and  they  lived  in  Digh- 
ton, Mass.  Their  children  were :  Joseph,  born 
Dec.  11,  1773,  who  died  young;  Rebecca,  born 
April  30,  1775;  Susannah,  born  April  1,  1777, 
who  married  Jonathan  Hathaway,  and  died 
Sept.  20,  1822;  John,  born  May  10,  1779;  Si- 
mon, born  April  15,  1781 ;  Mary,  born  March 
15,  1784;  Luther,  born  Dec.  28,  1786;  and 
William,  born  Jan.  22,  1789.  Joseph  Talbot 
married  for  his  second  wife  Annie  Hathaway 
(intentions  of  marriage  published  March  18, 
1802),  and  their  children  were  born  as  follows: 
Sally,  May  13,  1803 ;  Joseph,  Oct.  5,  1809.  The 
father  died  April  25,  1821. 

Joseph  Talbot  (3),  son  of  Joseph  (2)  and 
Annie  (Hathaway),  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Dighton  Oct.  5,  1809.  Here  he  grew  to  man- 
hood and  engaged  in  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing in  the  Broad  Cove  district  of  Dighton.  He 
spent  his  life  there .  and  died  in  1859,  being 
buried  in  the  Dighton  cemetery.  He  married 
in  Dighton,  Dec.  20,  1835,  Mary  Luther  Pratt, 
born  Oct.  21,  1811,  daughter  of  Lemuel  and 
Alma  Pratt,  and  their  children  were:  William 
B.,  who  followed  the  trade  of  mason,  now  re- 
tired and  residing  in  New  Bedford ;  James  A., 
who  resides  on  the  homestead  in  Dighton; 
Charles,  who  resides  in  Dighton;  George  How- 
ard, who  is  mentioned  below;  Lemuel  Pratt; 
and  Mary  Ann,  who  married  Benjamin  Sim- 
mons, and  (second)  a  Mr.  Knight,  and  resides 


666 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


in  Pawtucket,  R.  I.  The  mother  died  on  the 
homestead  in  1863,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Dighton  cemetery. 

George  Howard  Talbot,  son  of  Joseph  (3) 
and  Mary  L.  (Pratt),  was  born  March  17, 
1846,  in  Dighton,  Mass.  He  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  native  town  and  supple- 
mented this  with  a  few  sessions  at  a  private 
school  in  the  nearby  town  of  Somerset,  taught 
by  Henry  T.  Buffington,  a  well-known  teacher 
of  that  section.  His  fatlier  dying  when  he  was 
but  twelve  and  his  mother  some  four  years 
later,  he  was  early  in  a  manner  thrown  upon 
his  own  resources,  thus  becoming  self-reliant. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  found  employment  in 
the  Dighton  Tack  Works,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed a  few  months.  He  then  turned  his  at- 
tention to  the  farm,  hiring  to  Capt.  Frank 
Hathaway,  who  owned  a  farm  in  that  section. 
After  a  year  in  agricultural  work  he  again 
turned  his  attention  to  the  factory,  this  time 
engaging  with  the  Dighton  Woolen  Company, 
operated  by  Timothy  Dunlap,  and  learned  the 
busmess  of  sorting  wool.  With  this  company, 
saving  an  interval  of  several  months,  he  con- 
tinued until  the  destruction  of  the  plant  by 
fire  some  three  years  later.  During  the  four 
months'  interval  alluded  to  above  he  was  in 
charge  of  a  wool  sorting  establishment  at  Bux- 
ton, Maine.  Following  the  destruction  of  the 
Dighton  Woolen  Mill  he  continued  in  the  same 
line  of  employment  in  Stillwater,  R.  I.,  and 
also  at  Providence,  Rhode  Island. 

In  the  autumn  of  1867  Mr.  Talbot  came  to 
the  town  of  Norton,  where  he  assumed  charge 
of  wool  sorting  for  the  concern  of  Williams  & 
Co.,  who  were  doing  a  small  business  in  that 
line  at  the  Willis  mills,  on  the  Rumford  river. 
A  year  later  the  fii'm  leased  the  property, 
which  stood  on  the  sife^  of  the  present  mill  of 
Mr.  Talbot  and  was  then  known  ,as  the  Cen- 
tre mills.  In  1869  Daniel  S.  Pratt  &  Co.  of 
Boston  came  into  possession  of  the  business  of 
Williams  &  Co.,  and  at  this  time  Mr.  Talbot 
first  became  an  interested  party  in  the  con- 
cern; this  was  a  one-ninth  share.  He  had  had, 
however,  since  June,  1868,  entire  charge  of 
the  mills.  The  firm  of  Pratt  &  Co.  was  dis- 
solved in  January,  1870,  and  the  business  was 
continued  by  Mr.  F.  Q.  Story,  former  partner 
of  Mr.  Pratt  and  Mr.  Talbot,  the  former  own- 
ing two  thirds  and  Mr.  Talbot  one  third  of 
the  business. 

In  February,  1872,  Messrs.  Story  and  Talbot 
purchased  the  ground  on  which  the  mills  are 
now  located,  including  all  of  the  improvements 
thereon.  The  business  kept  increasing  as  time 
passed  and  it  was  not  long  ere  it  had  outgrown 


the  accommodations,  and  in  the  year  1874  they 
built  a  large  addition  to  the  plant  and  greatly 
increased  the  equipment  and  working  facilities. 
In  1878,  owing  to  failing  health,  Mr.  Story 
sold  his  interests  to  Mr.  Talbot  and  from  that 
time  on  the  latter  has  continued  to  be  identi- 
fied with  the  business,  carrying  it  on  alone  un- 
til he  associated  his  sons  with  him.  The  busi- 
ness was  incorporated  as  the  Norton  Mills 
Company,  with  George  H.  Talbot  as  treasurer, 
and  his  son  Walter  H.  as  president  and  son 
Francis  S.  as  secretary. 

In  1880  Mr.  Talbot  saw  it  was  expedient  to 
the  growing  business  to  still  further  enlarge 
the  plant  and  he  added  thereto  another  three- 
story  building,  and  put  in  new  and  more  mod- 
ern machinery,  by  which  was  increased  the 
capacity  for  more  rapid  and  effective  work. 
The  power  is  furnished  by  a  waterfall,  with 
an  au.xiliary  steam  and  electric  power  plant  for 
use  in  dry  weather.  The  bxisiness  is  exclusively 
wool  washing  and  job  work.  Mr.  Talbot  was 
one  of  the  first  engaged  in  the  business  and 
when  he  commenced  in  this  line  here  he  was 
alile,  by  hard  work,  to  scour  five  bags  of  wool 
a  day,  his  work  being  done  for  the  wool  mer- 
chants of  Boston  and  Providence.  At  that 
time  his  plant  was  one  of  the  only  two  of  the 
kind  in  the  country.  In  1890  the  establish-- 
ment  was  almost  wiped  out  by  fire,  but  two 
years  later  he  rebuilt,  with  a  capacity  of 
7,000,000  pounds- yearly. 

'J'he  Norton  Mills  Company  added  another 
byanch  to  the  business,  known  as  the  making 
of  wool  tops,  and  carding  and  combing.  In 
1909  the  entire  business  was  incorporated  as 
the  Talbot  Wool  Combing  Company,  Inc.,  of 
which  Walter  H.  Talbot  is  president  and 
Francis  S.  Talbot  secretary  and  treasurer.  The 
mills  now  cover  five  acres,  and  the  work  is 
so  well  known  that  wool  from  all  over  the 
world  is  sent  there  to  be  cleaned,  84,000  pounds 
a  day  being  the  average  output,  representing, 
approximately,  wool  from  14,000  sheep.  The 
work  is  chiefly  for  the  Boston  and  New  York 
markets.  Employment  is  given  to  upward  of 
two  hundred  persons. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  Mr.  Talbot  has 
made  a  success  of  the  business  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  practically  from  boyhood  and  with 
which  he  is  most  familiar.  He  started  life 
a  poor  boy,  worked  hard,  and  is  entirely  self- 
made.  He  is  a  stanch  Republican,  but  not  a 
politician,  public-spirited  and  enterprising, 
and  in  all  a  substantial  and  valuable  citizen. 

On  Nov.  18,  1873,  Mr.  Talbot  married  Delia 
M.  Storer,  who  was  born  May  28,  1849,  daugh- 
ter  of    George   and    Delia    Storer,    of   Norton. 


SOUTHEASTERX  MASSACHUSETTS 


667 


They  have  had  children  as  follows:  Walter 
Howard,  born  Aug.  15,  1874;  Francis  Story, 
born  March  2,  1878;  Alfred  Pratt,  born  Oct. 
15,  1882,  who  died  young;  and  Gladys  Irma, 
born  April  14,  1894,  who  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Norton,  Quincy  Mansion 
School,  at  Wollaston,  Mass.,  and  Miss  Brown's 
Select   School   of  Boston. 

Walter  Howard  Talbot,  son  of  George  H., 
was  born  in  Norton  Aug.  15,  1874,  and  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  and  Bristol 
Academy  at  Taunton.  He  went  into  the  mill 
with  his  father  and  later  became  interested  in 
the  enterprise,  to  such  an  extent  that  when  the 
business  was  incorporated  he  was  elected  presi- 
dent, which  office  he  held  until  the  Talbot 
Wool  Combing  Company,  Inc.,  was  formed  and 
he  became  president  of  the  latter.  He  married 
Jessie  Mattox,  and  they  have  one  child,  George 
Howard. 

Francis  Story  Talbot,  born  in  Norton  March 
2,  1878,  was  educated  in  the  local  public 
school  and  in  the  Bryant  &  Straiton  business 
college  at  Providence,  R.  I.  He  entered  his 
father's  business,  becoming  secretary,  and  upon 
the  formation  of  the  new  corporation  he  be- 
came secretary  and  treasurer.  He  married 
Adelayde  Bemis,  of  Foxboro,  Mass.,  and  they 
have  three  children.  Marguerite,  Gertrude  and 
Herbert  Hersey. 

SHAW.  (I)  Abraham  and  Bridget  (Best) 
Shaw  came  from  the  village  of  Northowram, 
parish  of  Halifax,  Yorkshire,  England,  and 
settled  in  Watertown,  Mass.,  where  he  .was 
made  freeman  March  9,  1636.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  to  subscribe  to  the  Covenant.  His 
house  was  burned  in  October,  1636,  and  he  soon 
after  sold  his  town  lot  and  farm  of  eight  and  a 
half  acres  and  removed  to  Dedham,  Mass.,  for 
the  incorporation  of  which  he,  with  his  eldest 
son  Joseph  and  twenty  others,  had  signed  a 
petition  on  "the  6th  of  the  7th  month  ( Sept. ) 
1636."  With  his  associates  he  built  the  old 
dam  across  the  Charles  for  a  gristmill,  about 
-three  quarters  of  a  mile  southwest  of  the  new 
bridge.  He'was  made  freeman  March  9,  1637, 
and  the  same  year  was  granted  a  monopoly  of 
one  half  of  the  coal  and  iron  to  be  found  in  the 
Common  Lands,  but  died  next  year,  1638.  His 
•will  bears  no  date,  but  mentions  his  town  lot 
in  Dedham,  also  his  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, Joseph,  Mary,  John  and  Martha,  the  two 
latter  being  infants,  Joseph  and  John  to  have 
his  estate  in  Dedham. 

From  this  Abraham  Shaw  have  sprung  some 
strong,  forceful  men  and  women,  men  who  were 
college-bred    and   entered    the    learned    profes- 


sions and  formed  alliances  with  the  first  fami- 
lies of  their  section  and  day.  Some  family  his- 
tory and  genealogy  of  the  Shaws  follows  in 
chronological  order. 

(II)  John  Shaw,  of  Weymouth,  son  of  Abra- 
ham, born  in  England,  was  baptized  in  Eng- 
land, May  21,  1630.  He  died  at  Weymouth, 
Sept.  16,  1704.  He  married  Alice  Phillips, 
daughter  of  Deacon  Nicholas  Phillips,  of  Ded- 
ham and  Weymouth,  and  they  had  children: 
John,  born  about  1655 ;  Elizabeth,  born  in 
1656;  Abraham,  born  in  1657;  Mary,  born  in 
1660;  Nicholas,  born  in  1662;  Joseph,  born  in 
1664;  Alice,  born  in  1666;  Hannah,  born  in 
1668;  Benjamin,  born  in  1670;  Abigail,  born 
in  1672;  and  Ebenezer,  born  in  1674. 

(III)  Benjamin  Shaw,  born  June  16,  1670, 
at  Weymouth,  married  Hannah  Rogers,  and 
lived  and  died  in  Taunton,  dying  June  16, 
1723.  His  wife  Hannah  died  at  Taunton,  May 
26,  1723,  aged  forty-nine  years. 

(IV)  Samuel  Shaw,  born  at  Weymouth, 
Mass.,  in  1698,  married  Elizabeth  Hodges, 
daughter  of  Henry  Hodges.  Samuel  Shaw 
died  at  Taunton,  Mass.,  in  1730,  aged  thirty- 
three  years.  His  widow  married  (second) 
Isaac  Sampson  and  (third)  Deacon  Edward 
Richmond. 

(V)  Joseph  Shaw,  born  at  Taunton,  Mass., 
Sept.  2,  1725,  wa^  the  first  of  the  name  in  the 
town  of  Raynham,  which  was  set  ofl'  from 
Taunton  in  1731,  and  here  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. He  married  Oct.  18,  1748,  his  cousin, 
Mary  Shaw,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Mercy 
(Mason)  Shaw.  Joseph  Shaw  died  at  Rayn- 
han,  Mass.,  April  20,  1808,  aged  eighty-three 
years;  Mary  Shaw,  born  Oct.  19,  1729,  died  at 
Raynham  Oct.  15,  1816.  Of  their  children, 
the  following  are  found  in  the  Vital  Records: 
Joseph,  born  April  1,  1750  (died  April  2, 
1750);  Joseph  (2),  born  Nov.  6,  1751;  and 
Silas,  born  July  26,  1754.  However,  another 
account  says  they  had  :  Joseph,  Samuel,  Silas 
and  Polly.  Joseph  Shaw  of  Raynham  was  in 
the  Revolutionary  war.  He  was  a  private  in 
Capt.  John  King's  company.  Col.  Timothy 
Walker's  regiment;  enlisted  May  3,  1775,  and 
served  three  months  and  five  days.  His  name 
also  appears  on  company  return  dated  Oct.  6, 
1775.  In  bis  last  years  he  received  a  pension 
from  the  government. 

(VI)  Samuel  Shaw,  son  of  Joseph,  born  at 
Raynham,  Mass.,  April  19,  1772,  was  a  farmer 
and  also  a  house  carpenter  there.  He  had  ex- 
ceptional talent  for  music,  taught  singing 
school  winter  evenings,  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  also  composed  music  and  set  words  to 
music.     He   married   April   21,   1793,   Abigail 


668 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Hall,  born  at  Raynham  Sept.  21,  1771,  daugh- 
ter of  Seth  Hall.  He  died  at  Raynham  April 
20,  1840,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  She  died 
there  aged  eighty-seven  years.  Their  children 
were  as  follows:  Mary,  born  Sept.  13,  1794, 
married  Josephus  Bumpus,  of  Middleboro; 
Samuel,  born  Sept.  24,  1795,  is  mentioned  be- 
low; Diadamia,  born  July  29,  1797  (died  in 
March,  1882,  aged  eighty-five),  married  (first) 
Abiather  Dean,  of  Taunton,  and  (second) 
William  Ramsdell,  of  Middleboro;  Isaac  H., 
born  Feb.  4,  1800,  died  at  sea  in  June,  1844; 
Susannah  H.,  born  June  4,  1802,  married 
Henry  Hall,  of  Westmoreland,  N.  H. ;  Linus 
H.,  born  Nov.  29,  1804,  married  Louisa  Alden, 
and  died  in  1866;  Alanson,  born  May  6,  1807, 
died  March  15,  1809;  Abigail,  born  Jan.  10, 
1810,  married  a  Mr.  Briggs,  of  West  Bridge- 
water,  and  (second)  Joshua  Hall,  of  East 
Westmoreland,  N.  H. ;  Lucinda,  born  in  1814, 
died  in  that  same  year. 

(VII)  Samuel  Shaw,  Jr.,  born  Sept.  24, 
1795,  at  the  family  homestead  in  Raynham 
(the  house  which  is  over  two  hundred  and  fifty 
years  old,  is  still  standing,  and  is  occupied  by 
Samuel,  Jr.'s  son,  James  H.  Shaw),  resided 
there  to  the  end  of  his  days,  dying  March  4, 
1881,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five.  In  his  old  age 
he  drew  a  pension  for  his  services  in  the  war  of 
1812.  He  was  twice  married,  first  on  Aug.  25, 
1817,  to  his  cousin,  Mrs.  Rachel  (Shaw)  Bar- 
den,  of  Raynham,  daughter  of  Silas  and  Eliza- 
beth (Staples)  Shaw.  She  died  at  Raynham 
March  9,  1840,  aged  forty-eight  years,  and  sub- 
sequently he  married  Mrs.  Farnham.  Seven 
children  were  born  to  the  first  union :  Caroline 
E.  married  Dr.  Daniel  Briggs,  of  Philadelphia, 
and  died  in  Brockton;  Francis  Marion  is  men- 
tioned below ;  James  Harmon  resided  at  the 
old  homestead  in  Raynham ;  Alanson  died  in 
1854;  William  Wallace  died  aged  fifty  yea-rs; 
Oliver  Perry  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-five ;  An- 
drew Jackson  died  when  eighteen  years  old. 

(VIII)  Francis  Marion  Shaw,  son  of 
Samuel,  Jr.,  was  for  years  a  well-known  busi- 
ness man  of  Brockton,  a  gentleman  of  wide  and 
varied  experience  in  life.  He  served  his  coun- 
try in  time  of  war  in  both  the  army  and  the 
navy;  traveled  far  and  journeyed  in  distant 
lands;  and  held  numerous  positions  of  trust 
and  responsibility,  serving  the  interests  of  im- 
portant industrial  enterprises,  and  lending  a 
hand  sagaciously  to  the  conduct  of  public  af- 
fairs. 

Mr.  Shaw  was  born  Nov.  3,  1825,  at  Rayn- 
ham, Mass.,  being  a  representative  of  the  fourth 
generation  of  Shaws  in  that  ancient  town  of 
Bristol  county.     He  was  one  of  several  boys  in 


this  patriotic  family  who  bore  the  names  of 
martial  heroes.  In  his  early  years  attending 
the  district  school,  a  mile  from  his  home,  he 
acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  the  common 
English  branches.  The  schoolroom  was  heated 
from  a  fireplace,  on  whose  ample  hearth,  in. 
winter  days,  blazed  a  fire  of  huge  logs  and 
brushwood.  The  furniture  and  all  the  appli- 
ances were  of  primitive  fashion.  But  text- 
books were  well  conned,  hard  sums  were  tri- 
umphantly ciphered  out,  minds  grew  attentive 
and  ale"rt;  and  not  the  least  valuable  lessons 
learned  were  of  resolute  self-reliance  and  vig- 
orous endeavor. 

At  the  youthful  age  of  fourteen  Francis  M. 
Shaw  joined  the  army  of  wage  earners  by  go- 
ing to  work  in  a  nail  factory  at  Titicut.  He 
was  next,  for  about  a  year,  employed  in  the 
East  Taunton  Iron  Works;  and  from  there  he 
went  to  a  manufacturing  place  on  the  Schuyl- 
kill river  in  Pennsylvania,  still  later  finding  a 
situation  in  the  Duncannon  Iron  Works — all 
this  before  he  was  eighteen.  At  that  age  he 
took  a  new  departure,  embarking  on  the  "Wil- 
liam and  Eliza,"  a  four-boat  whale-ship,  for  a 
four  years'"  cruise,  sailing  around  Cape  Horn, 
stopping  at  Valparaiso  and  the  Sandwich  Is- 
lands, both  on  the  outward  trip  and  the  return 
voyage,  spending  at  one  time  six  months  at 
Honolulu.  In  1846  they  were  taking  in  oil  at 
Japan;  while  in  the  China  sea  they  were  in  a 
typhoon,  and  had  a  narrow  escape  from  de- 
struction. At  the  Cannibal  Islands  they  en- 
gaged in  traffic  with  the  natives,  bartering  beads 
for  hogs ;  and  young  Shaw  there  sold  the  king's 
son  one  of  two  violins  that  he  had  made  him- 
self, the  other  still  being  in  the  possession  of  his 
son,  Linus  H.  Shaw.  Among  other  places  that 
he  visited  were  the  Samoan  islands  and  New 
Zealand. 

Reaching  home  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1848, 
a  man  of  twenty-two,  with  mind  broadened  and 
matured,  he  shortly  after  went  into  the  shoe 
business,  some  branch  of  which  he  followed  for 
five  or  six  years.  Then  he  bought  a  thirty- 
acre  farm,  and  built  a  small  shoe  factory  there- 
on. In  this  he  set  up  the  firs!  pegging  ma- 
chine that  was  brought  into  Raynham.  In 
1860  his  factory  was  burned  down,  and  in 
1862  he  removed  to  Abington  Center.  In  the 
following  summer  he  enlisted  in  the  9th  Mas- 
sachusetts Battery,  and,  being  sent  into  the 
field,  reached  Gettysburg  just  after  the  battle 
was  over.  Orders  coming  for  the  discharge  of 
all  sailors  from  the  ranks,  Private  Shaw  en- 
listed on  the  United  States  steamship  "San 
Jacinto,"  and  was  appointed  paymaster's  stew- 
ard.    At  Key  West,  where  the  steamer  touched. 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


669 


the  yellow  fever  was  raging.  They  there  took 
on  Admiral  Bell,  and  returned  to  New  York, 
whence  they  were  ordered  to  St.  John,  N.  B., 
after  the  pirate  Sims.  Losing  two  boats  in  a 
^ale  off  Cape  Hatteras,  they  put  into  Kittery 
navy-yard,  and  from  there  went  to  Fortress 
Monroe.  While  cruising  among  the  Bahama 
islands  on  the  watch  for  Rebel  vessels,  the  "San 
Jacinto"  was  wrecked  on  "No  Name  Key,"  and 
went  to  pieces.  The  crew  remained  on  the  is- 
land eighteen  days,  subsisting  on  what  could  be 
eaved  from  the  wreck;  and  for  water  brought 
to  them  in  boats  by  the  natives  the  captain  paid 
three  hundred  dollars  in  gold.  The  men  were 
rescued  by  the  United  States  steamship  "Talla- 
poosa," which  took  them  to  Boston.  They  had 
saved  ten  thousand  dollars  from  the  sunken 
ship. 

On  receiving  his  discharge  in  July,  1865, 
Mr.  Shaw  went  back  to  Abington,  but  soon  re- 
moved to  North  Bridgewater.  For  some  time 
he  traveled  for  David  Whittemore  &  Co.,  manu- 
facturers of  shoe  machines,  putting  up  ma- 
chines in  Boston  and  vicinity.  In  1871  he 
went  abroad  in  the  interests  of  Mr.  Whitte- 
more, and  sold  machines  in  London  and  Glas- 
gow, visiting  also  Dublin,  Paris  and  other 
places  during  his  absence  of  eight  months.  Re- 
ceiving word  while  at  Hamburg  that  the 
Whittemore  manufactory  had  been  burned,  he 
returned  to  Massachusetts.  In  the  year  1873 
he  had  charge  of  the  Boston  Shoe  Machinery 
Company's  exhibit  at  the  Vienna  E.xposition. 
Among  other  illustrious  visitors  who  came  to 
view  the  American  machinery  were  the  Em- 
peror Francis  Joseph  and  his  wife,  the  Em- 
press. Mr.  Shaw  availed  himself  of  the  oppor- 
tunity afforded  by  his  six  months'  sqjourn  in 
Europe  to  visit  the  Alps  and  other  points  of 
interest. 

Returning  to  Massachusetts,  he  bought  out 
a  factory  on  High  street,  Boston,  and  for  three 
years  carried  on  the  business  of  manufacturing 
pasted  insoles  and  heel  stock.  His  next  en- 
terprise was  undertaken  in  Brockton,  where  he 
established  the  leather  and  remnant  business 
on  Railroad  avenue,  and  the  Naplitha  Extract- 
ing Works  on  Center  street,  now  carried  on  un- 
der the  name  of  F.  M.  Shaw  &  Son,  from  wliich 
he  retired  on  account  of  failing  health,  since 
which  time  the  business  has  been  carried  on  by 
his  son,  Francis  E.,  under  the  same  firm  name. 
Previous  to  this  last  venture  Mr.  Shaw  had 
bought  an  interest  in  the  Boston  Rivet  Com- 
pany, and,  as  a  representative  of  the  company, 
had  made,  in  1875,  another  visit  to  Europe. 
He  crossed  and  recrossed  the  Atlantic  twice 
after  that  time — namely,  in  1883  and  1885 — 


and  also  traveled  in  California  and  other  parts 
of  the  great  West. 

Mr.  Shaw  was  a  member  of  the  Know-Noth- 
ing party  during  the  short  existence  of  that 
political  combination  in  the  fifties.  He  was  a 
stanch  Republican  from  the  organization  of  the 
party;  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  convention 
at  Worcester  that  nominated  for  the  chief  mag- 
istracy of  the  State  John  A.  Andrew,  since  re- 
nowned as  this  Commonwealth's  war  governor. 
Mr.  Shaw  served  as  a  member  of  the  council  of 
Brockton  for  two  years.  He  belonged  to 
Fletcher  Webster  Post,  No.  13,  Grand  Array  of 
the  Republic,  of  which  he  was  chaplain  for 
several  years;  and  served  as  a  delegate  to  four 
Grand  Army  conventions,  including  that  held 
in  Denver.  In  religious  faith  Mr.  Shaw  was  a 
follower  of  Swedenborg,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem  at  Abington, 
Mass.  He  died  at  Brockton,  Aug.  22,  1900,  in 
his  seventy-fifth  year. 

Mr.  Shaw  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife, 
Mary  L.  Eaton,  of  Raynham,  Mass.,  daughter  of 
Charles  and  Emeline  (Leonard)  Eaton,  died 
leaving  six  children,  as  follows :  Emma  E.  mar- 
ried Edward  Bryant,  of  Brockton;  Linus  H.  is 
"mentioned  below;  Alice  L.  married  David  T. 
Burrell,  of  Brockton;  Francis  E.  is  mentioned 
below;  Mary  E.  is  the  wife  of  Sidney  Perkins, 
and  resides  at  Savin  Hill,  Boston ;  Samuel  mar- 
ried Sarah  Ryder,  of  Middleboro,  in  which  town 
he  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes  as 
junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Leonard  &  Shaw. 
On  Nov.  25,  1861.  Francis  M.  Shaw  married 
(second)  Harriet  B.  Bates,  daughter  of  Rufus 
B.  Bates,  of  Abington,  who  survived  him,  and 
resides  in  Brockton.  To  this  union  was  born 
one  son,  Norman  B.,  who  married  Lila  S. 
Copeland,  of  Raynham,  and  they  reside  in 
Brockton,  where  he  is  a  member  of  the  Opera 
House  orchestra ;  they  have  one  son,  Lawrence, 
who  is  a  graduate  of  the  School  of  Technology 
at  Boston. 

(IX)  Linus  Hall  Shaw,  eldest  son  of  the 
late  Francis  M.  and  Mary  L.  (Eaton)  Shaw, 
was  born  Aug.  23,  1851,  in  Raynham,  Mass., 
and  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  town,  of  Abington  and  of  North 
Bridgewater,  his  parents  removing  to  the  latter 
place  when  he  was  about  fourteen  years  of  age. 
After  finishing  his  schooling,  he  early  acquired 
a  knowledge  of  shoemaking  through  employ- 
ment in  various  factories  of  the  town,  eventu- 
ally engaging  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes  on 
his  own  account.  For  a  period  of  about  twenty 
years  Mr.  Shaw  was  thus  engaged,  for  a  time 
as  a  partner  with  James  Sidney  Allen  and  in 
company  with  James  C.  Tannatt.     In  1906  Mr. 


670 


SOUTHEASTEKN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Shaw  established  himself  in  the  manufacture 
of  men's  fine  shoe  heels,  organizing  the  Acme 
Heel  company.  This  concern's  product  is  used 
by  the  high-grade  shoe  manufacturers  in  the 
making  of  shoes  ranging  in  price  from  $5  to 
$8,  at  retail.  The  very  best  quality  of  heels 
is  manufactured  by  the  Acme  Heel  Company, 
used  in  the  construction  of  the  finest  men's 
shoes  made,  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  large 
shipments  being  made  to  leading  shoe  manufac- 
turing concerns  throughout  the  country.  This 
concern  gives  employment  to  about  seventy- 
five  hands,  and  since  its  first  inception  the  vol- 
ume of  business  has  steadily  increased.  A  nat- 
ural-born mechanic,  Mr.  Shaw  has  invented  and 
has  patented  various  machines  and  appliances 
used  in  tlie  7nanufacture  of  shoes,  upon  which 
he  is  still  receiving  royalties. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Shaw  is  a  member  of  Paul 
Eevere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Brockton. 
In  political  faith  he  is  a  Republican,  but  has 
never  cared  for  nor  sought  public  preferment. 
In  religion  he  is  a  Unitarian,  holding  member- 
ship in  the  Unity  Church,  of  Brockton. 

On  Jan.  1,  1873,  Mr.  Shaw  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Abbie  Pierce  Dunham,  daughter 
of  Lysander  and  Sarah  (Simmons)  Dunham, 
of  Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  this  union  has  been 
blessed  with  children  as  fallows :  Mary  Frances 
is  the  wife  of  Fred  B.  Leonard,  of  Brockton, 
where  he  is  teller  of  the  Plymouth  County  Trust 
Company,  and  they  have  two  children,  Ruth 
and  Warren ;  Chester  Earl  married  Lena  Bald- 
win, of  Middleboro,  where  he  is  connected  with 
Leonard  &  Shaw,  shoe  manufacturers ;  Frank 
E.,  superintendent  of  the  Acme  Heel  Company, 
married  May  E.  Brown,  of  Brockton. 

(IX)  Francis  E.  Shaw,  son  of  the  late 
Francis  M.  and  Mary  L.  (Eaton)  Shaw,  was 
born  Feb.  (5,  1856,  in  Raynham,  Mass.  His 
schooling  was  acquired  in  the  common  schools 
and  the  high  school  of  North  Bridgewater,  to 
which  town  his  parents  removed  when  he  was 
only  about  nine  years  old.  After  leaving  school 
Mr.  Shaw  entered  the  employ  of  bis  father,  in 
the  manufacture  of  heels  and  shoe  findings, 
continuing  in  his  employ  until  he  purchased 
the  business,  in  1890,  and  he  continued  to  con- 
duct it  under  the  firm  name  of  F.  M.  Shaw  & 
Son  until  1903,  in  which  year  it  was  incorpo- 
rated under  tlie  laws  of  Massachusetts  as  the  F. 
M.  Shaw  &  Son  Company,  capital  stock  $100,- 
000,  with  the  following  officers :  Francis  E. 
Shaw,  president;  Ernest  L.  Shaw,  treasurer; 
and  Herbert  F.  Bryant,  secretary.  This  con- 
cern is  extensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  shoe  heels  and  findings,  and  also  deals  in 
leather  remnants  of  all  kinds,  and  is  well  known 
to  the  shoe  trade  generally. 


Fraternally  Mr.  Shaw  is  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  Masonic  organization,  holding; 
membership  in  Paul  Revere  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A. 
M.,  of  which  he  is  past  worshipful  master; 
Satucket  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  Brockton  Council, 
R.  &  S.  M.;  and  Bay  State  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar,  of  which  he  is  past  eminent 
commander.  In  political  faith  he  is  a  stanch 
supporter  of  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  has  served  the  city  as  a  member  of 
the  common  council  for  two  years;  for  several 
years  he  was  a  trustee  of  the  Public  Library. 
Mr.  Shaw  is  an  active  member  of  the  Unity 
Church,  of  Brockton,  and  for  several  years  has 
served  as  chairman  of  the  standing  committee 
of  the  church. 

By  his  first  wife,  Jennie  Perkins,  Mr.  Shaw 
had  one  daughter,  Lena  F.  His  second  wife, 
who  was  Hattie  E.  Wilde,  daughter  of  Brad- 
ford Wilde,  of  Brockton,  passed  away  in  Brock- 
ton June  21,  1904.  Mr.  Shaw  has  since  mar- 
ried (third)  Mrs.  Isabelle  Prior,  of  Boston. 

ALMY  (Dartmouth-Boston  family).  The 
origin  of  the  Almy  family  of  Rhode  Island  and 
Massachusetts,  which  for  the  past  two  hundred 
and  fifty  aiul  more  -years  has  been  well  and 
prominently  represented  in  many  of  the  towns 
of  both  Commonwealths,  is  traced  back  to  Wil- 
liam Almy,  who  was  born  in  England  in  the 
year  1601. 

It  is  here,  however,  the  purpose  to  review, 
and  that  briefly,  but  one  branch  of  the  Almy 
family — that  which  later  on  located  in  the  an- 
cient town  of  Dartmouth,  thence  went  to  Bos- 
ton, where  several  of  the  sons  of  the  late  Thomas 
Almy  became  most  enterprising  and  progres- 
sive merchants,  and  have  been  followed  by  their 
sons  and  jierhaps  grandsons.  Reference  is 
made  to  the  brothers,  the  late  William  and  Fred- 
erick Almy  of  the  extensive  dry  goods  establish- 
ment of  Messrs.  Almy,  Patterson  &  Co.,  and 
their  successors.  There  follows  the  Almy 
lineage  and  family  history  of  the  younger  mem- 
bers of  the  Dartmouth-Boston  Almy  family 
from  the  immigrant  settler,  chronologically  ar- 
ranged. 

(I)  William  Almy,  who  was  born  in  England 
in  1601,  died  in  1676.  He  came  to  this  country 
prior  to  1630,  but  returned  almost  immediately 
to  England,  coming  here  again  in  1635  in  the 
ship  "Abigail,"  and  bringing  with  him  his  wife 
Audrey  and  two  children,  Ann  and  Christopher. 
He  first  located  in  Lynn,  Mass.,  later,  in  1637,. 
was  at  Sandwich,  and  on  Nov.  14,  1644,  had 
land  granted  him  at  Wading  River,  Portsmouth, 
R.  I.  Here  the  balance  of  his  life  was  spent. 
In  1655  he  was  made  a  freeman,  juryman  in 
1656,    and    commissioner    in    1656,    1657    and 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


671 


1663.  His  will  was  proved  April  23,  1677. 
His  daughter  Ann  was  born  in  1687,  and  his 
son  Christopher  in  1632. 

(II)  Christopher  Almv,  son  of  William,  born 
in  1632,  died  Jan.  30,  1712.  He  was  made  a 
freeman  in  l6o8.  In  1667  he  and  others 
bought  lands  of  the  Indians  in  Monmouth,  N. 
J.,  and  he  lived  there  some  years,  returning  to 
Rhode  Island  before  the  year  1680.  On  March 
5,  1680,  he  and  several  others  bought  Pocasset 
(now  Tiverton)  lands  for  £1,100,  he  having 
three  and  three  fourths  shares  out  of  thirty 
shares  in  the  whole.  He  was  made  a  deputy 
in  1690,  and  also  assistant.  On  Feb.  27,  1690, 
he  was  elected  governor,  but  refused  to  serve 
for  reasons  satisfactory  to  the  Assembly.  This 
was  the  first  election  of  governor  after  the 
deposition  of  Andros.  In  1693  he  was  sent  to 
England  as  a  messenger  from  Rhode  Island, 
and  on  Aug.  2-ith  of  that  year  he  delivered  an 
address  and  his  own  petition  to  Queen  Mary, 
stating  the  grievances  of  the  Colony  and  pray- 
ing that  she  may  grant  such  encouragement 
therein  as  she  see  fit.  The  Assembly  allowed 
him  £135,  10s.,  8d.  for  his  charge  and  expense 
in  England  for  the  Colony's  use.  On  July  9, 
1661,  Christopher  Almy  married  Elizabeth 
Cornell,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Rebecca  Cor- 
nell, and  they  had  children :  Sarah,  born  April 
17,  1662;  Elizabeth,  Sept.  29,  1663;  William, 
Oct.  27,  1665;  Ann,  Nov.  29,  1667;  Christo- 
pher, Dec.  26,  1669;  Rebecca,  Jan.  26,  1671; 
John,  April,  1673  (died  in  1673)  ;  John  (2)  ; 
Job,  and  Catherine. 

(III)  William  Almy,  son  of  Christopher, 
born  Oct.  27,  1665,  married  (first)  Deborah 
Cook,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Borden) 
Cook,  and  (second)  Hope  Borden,  born  March 
3,  1685,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Borden. 
Mr.  Almv  resided  in  Tiverton,  R.  I.  He  died 
July  6,  1747,  and  his  wife  Hope  died  in  1762. 
His  children,  all  born  to  the  first  marriage, 
were:  Mary,  born  Aug.  7,  1689;  John,  Oct.  10, 
1692;  Job,  April  28,  1696;  Elizabeth,  Nov.  14, 
1697;  Samuel,  April  15,  1701;  Deborah,  July 
27,  1703;  Rebecca,  Oct.  14,  1705;  William  and 
Joseph,  Oct.  3,  1707. 

(IV)  Job  Almy,  son  of  William  and  Deborah 
(Cook),  born  April  38,  1696,  married  Lydia, 
born  July  8,  1700.  Their  children  were:  Deb- 
orah, born  Dec.  5,  1719,  married  in  1738  John 
Slocum;  Freelove,  born  April  18,  1723,  married 
in  1742  Edward  Springer;  Samuel,  born  Sept. 
20,  1725,  married  in  1746  Sarah  Wood;  Joseph, 
born  Nov.  21,  1727,  married  in  1750  Abigail 
Sisson ;  Job,  born  Oct.  10,  1730,  married  in 
1750  Ann  Slocum;  Lydia,  born  Feb.  19,  1732- 
33,  married  Benjamin  Akin,  and  maybe  in  1750 


John  Wing;  Thomas,  born  Nov.  5,  1735,  died 
April  9,  1737;  Christopher,  born  May  29,  1738, 
married  in  1762  Elizabeth  Sanford;  and  Hope, 
born  April  14,  1746,  married  in  1763  William 
Howland. 

(V)  Christopher  Almy  (2),  son  of  Job  and 
Lydia,  born  May  29,  1738,  married  in  1762 
Elizabeth  Sanford.  Their  children  were : 
Peleg,  born  Sept.  2, 1764,  married  in  1787  Deb- 
orah Almy;  Giles,  born  April  29,  1766,  mar- 
ried in  1787  Mary  Macomber;  Benjamin  was 
born  March  21,  1768;  Freelove,  born  March 
16,  1770,  married  in  1789  William  Cory;  Rich- 
ard, born  June  22,  1773,  married  in  1799  Pa- 
tience Wilcox;  Thomas  was  born  April  22, 
1775.  What  is  known  as  the  mansion  house  on 
the  old  Job  Almy  place  in  Westport  stands  near 
the  road,  faces  south  and  commands  a  magnifi- 
cent view  of  the  Atlantic  ocean  south  and  west 
of  the  Elizabeth  islands.  It  is  the  only  two- 
story  gambrel-roofed  house  in  old  Dartmouth, 
and  belongs  to  the  latest  variety  of  that  type. 

Job  Almy  owned  the  farm,  and  in  his  will  of 
1771  he  devises  his  estate  to  his'four  sons;  and 
in  the  division  in  1778  Joseph  and  Christopher 
took  the  part  on  the  east  side  of  the  road,  and 
that  on  the  west  side  was  taken  by  Job  and 
Samuel.  To  his  wife  he  gives  "the  Eastern 
most  great  room,  bed  room  adjoining,  cellar 
under  and  chamber,  and  attic  over  the  same." 
This  can  only  apply  to  the  large  house  which  in 
another  part  of  the  will  he  describes  as  "my 
new  dwelling  house,"  which  he  specially  devised 
to  his  son  Joseph.  It  is  safe  to  conclude  that 
this  house  was  built  between  1765  and  1770. 

This  land  originally  belonged  to  Hugh 
Mosher,  who  sold  it  to  William  Almy,  who  was 
the  owner  in  1710,  and  this  large  farm  has  re- 
mained in  the  Almy  family  ever  since.  The 
original  house  has  probably  been  removed  or 
destroyed.  The  small  one-story  gambrel  was 
erected  about  1730,  some  distance  east  of  the 
road,  but  within  recent  years  was  moved  to  its 
present  location  and  has  been  since  used  as  the 
home  of  the  manager  of  the  farm.  It  belongs 
to  the  variety  that  was  common  in  this  section 
between  1725  and  1740. 

(VI)  Thomas  Almy,  son  of  Christopher  and 
Elizabeth  (Sanford),  born  April  22,  1775,  mar- 
ried in  1798  Sally  Gifford,  born  June  10,  1779, 
daughter  of  William  and  Patience  GifEord.  Mr. 
Almy,  who  was  somewhat  noted  for  his  great 
strength,  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  became 
a  merchant  at  Smith  Mills,  then  a  farmer.  He 
was  a  man  of  good  judgment,  and  was  active  in 
the  public  affairs  of  the  town ;  liked  the  old 
muster  days  of  the  State  militia.  He  loved  a 
good  horse  and  his  favorite  means  of  travel  was 


672 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


by  horseback.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Society 
of  Friends.  He  died  Nov.  23,  1868.  His  wife 
died  June  13,  1848.  Their  children  were :  Wil- 
liam, Silence,  Frederick  and  Henry. 

(VII)  William  Almy  (3),  son  of  Thomas 
and  Sally  (Gifford),  was  born  Oct.  10,  1798, 
on  the  old  Almy  homestead  in  Dartmouth, 
Mass.  He  passed  his  childhood  and  youth  on 
his  father's  farm,  receiving  in  the  way  of  an 
education  what  the  neighborhood  district  school 
afforded.  Early  in  life  he  concluded  to  become 
a  merchant,  and  with  this  end  in  view  when 
thirteen  years  of  age  walked  from  his  home  near 
Horse  Neck,  carrying  his  shoes  in  his  hand  as 
a  matter  of  economy,  to  Russell's  Mills,  where 
he  began  his  business  career  in  the  store  of  the 
late  Abraham  Barker.  In  a  few  years  he  re- 
moved to  New  Bedford,  and  was  employed  as 
bookkeeper  in  the  store  of  William  H.  Allen 
and  the  late  Gideon  Allen,  and  also  in  the 
counting  room  of  the  late  John  Avery  Parker. 
Subsequently  he  went  to  Boston,  and  found  em- 
ployment in  the  best  school  possible  for  a  mer- 
chant— the  counting  room  of  the  late  A.  &  A. 
Lawrence.  Soon  after  attaining  his  majority, 
and  doubtless  under  the  kind  auspices  of  his 
employers,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  a  fel- 
low clerk  named  Dexter,  establishing  the  busi- 
ness which  under  the  firm  name  of  Dexter  & 
Almy,  Almy,  Blake  &  Co.,  Almy,  Patterson  & 
Co.,  Almy,  Hobart  &  Co.,  and  Almy  &  Co.,  he 
successfully  pursued  for  nearly  fifty  years ;  this 
was  the  importing  and  jobbing  of  white  goods. 
Cool,  clear-headed  and  sagacious,  no  man  stood 
higher  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fel- 
lows than  William  Almy.  He  achieved  a  hand- 
some fortune  for  his  time,  but  secured  some- 
thing far  better,  a  reputation  for  spotless  integ- 
rity, and  unblemished  honor. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Almy  was  a  director  in 
the  Eagle  Bank,  Boston,  and  for  a  number  of 
3'ears  his  firm  was  selling  agent  for  various 
cotton  and  woolen  mills,  among  these  being 
the  celebrated  Wamsutta  Mills  of  New  Bedford. 
Politically  he  was  a  Whig  and  Republican. 

In  November,  1828,  Mr.  Almy  married  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Robert  and  Deborah  Brayton, 
of  Nantucket.  She  was  born  June  19,  1803, 
and  died  May  11,  1879. 

About  1830  Mr.  Almy  bought  a  portion  of 
the  old  Almy  farm,  near  Horse  Neck,  in  Dart- 
mouth, which  he  greatly  improved  and  beauti- 
fied, making  of  it  a  most  delightful  summer 
residence.  He  became  totally  blind  in  1858, 
and  in  1868  retired  from  business.  He  died 
Dec.  25,  1881,  in  Boston,  having  lived  to  a  ripe 
old  age  and  leaving  an  honored  name  and  the 
memory  of  an  active  and  useful  life. 


The  cluldren  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Almy 
were:  (1)  Sarah  died  in  infancy.  (2)  Robert 
B.,  born  Sept.  12,  1830,  died  Jan.  4,  1896. 
(3)  Sarah  H.,  born  Dec;  16,  1832,  died  Feb. 
28,  1869.  (4)  Matilda  H.  died  in  infancy. 
(5)  Henry,  born  Aug.  22,  1836,  was  a  business 
associate  of  his  father,  and  died  April  6,  1879. 
He  married  Jan.  17,  1862,  Elizabeth  Barker, 
and  their  children,  all  now  living  (1910)  were: 
Mabel,  born  Sept.  5,  1864;  Sarah  Helen,  Dec. 
19,  1870;  Henry,  June  24,  1875.  (6)  Cath- 
erine G.  died  young.  (7)  John  P.  and  (8) 
William  F.  were  twins,  born  Jan.  17,  1841. 
John  P.  never  married,  and  died  Aug.  7,  1905. 
William  F.  is  mentioned  below.  (9)  Alice  B., 
born  April  14,  1843,  died  Jan.  5,  1871,  married 
Frederick  Grinnell,  of  New  Bedford,  and  had 
a  daughter,  Alice  A.  (10)  Thomas  R.  resides 
at  New  Bedford. 

(VIII)  William  F.  Almy,  son  of  William  (3) 
and  Elizabeth,  was  born  Jan.  17,  1841.  He 
married  Alice  Gray,  of  Boston.  Soon  after  his 
marriage  he  became  associated  in  business  with 
Thomas  Gray  &  Co.,  cotton  merchants,  and  after 
Mr.  Gray's  death  he  continued  the  business  un- 
der the  name  of  Almy  &  Co.  until  he  died, 
June  14,  1898.  He  had  two  children,  William 
and  Eleanor  Brooks,  who  with  the  wife  and 
mother  survive. 

(IX)  William  Almy,  son  of  WilUam  F., 
was  born  April  9,  1874.  He  succeeded  his 
father,  William  F.  Almy,  in  the  cotton  business, 
and  after  a  few  years  formed  a  new  firm,  Almy, 
Rogerson  &  Bremer,  afterward  Almy,  Bremer 
&  Co.,  and  now  William  Almy  &  Co.  He  has 
been  successful  in  business,  being  one  of  the 
largest  cotton  mercliants  in  Boston. 

On  April  8,  1899,  Mr.  Almy  married  Elsie 
H.  Pierce,  of  New  Bedford,  daughter  of  An- 
drew G.  Pierce.  They  have  had  five  children, 
all  living  (1910)  :  William,  Jr.,  born  Nov.  30, 
1900;  Caroline  Pierce,  Oct.  9,  1901;  Robert 
•Brayton,  Dec.  1,  1902 ;  Mary  Louise,  March 
21,  1906;  Richard,  Feb.  5,  1909. 

(IX)  •  Eleanor  Brooks  Almy,  daughter  of 
William  F.  Almy,  married  April  22,  18^96,  The- 
odore G.  Bremer,  and  they  have  three  children : 
Alice,  born  May  24,  1897;  Eleanor,  Oct.  10, 
1899 ;  and  Theodore  Glover,  Jr.,  Dec.  8,  1903, 
all  living. 

FREDERICK  CHANDLER  MANN,  for  so 
many  years  connected  with  the  Carver  Cotton 
Gin  Company,  and  so  well  known  through  the 
entire  Southland  where  he  had  traveled  in  the 
interest  of  that  company,  was  born  in  Boston, 
Mass.,  Jan.  24,  1839,  and  died  in  East  Bridge- 
water,  Feb.  8,   1907.     The  surname  Mann  in 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


673 


England  is  found  in  "Domesday  Book,"  A.  D. 
1086,  and  here  in  New  England  history  it  has 
been  kno^vn  from  the  earliest  period  of  the 
Colonies. 

(I)  Richard  Man,  of  Scituate,  Mass.,  came 
to  New  England  previous  to  the  year  1644, 
where  in  January  of  that  year  he  took  the  oath 
of  fidelity.'  Dean,  in  his  history  of  Scituate 
^1831),  says  "Richard  Man  (planter)  was  a 
youth  in  Elder  Brewster's  family,  and  came  to 
Plymouth  in  the  'Mayflower,'  1620.  He  was 
one  of  the  Connihassett  partners  in  Scituate, 
1646.  His  farm  was  at  Man  Hill  (a  well 
known  place  to  this  day),  south  of  the  great 
Musquaslicut  pond,  and  north  of  John  Hoar's 
farm.  There  is  no  record  of  his  marriage 
here."  Mr.  Man  was  a  farmer  and  one  of  the 
original  proprietors  of  Scituate.  On  the  east 
of  liis  lands  was  the  sea.  on  the  north  Musquash- 
cut  pond,  and  still  farther  north,  bordering  on 
the  pond,  were  the  "Famies"  so  called.  In  an 
attempt  to  cross  this  pond  on  the  ice  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1655,  Richard  Man  was  drowned.  The 
records  indicate  that  he  was  a  man  of  consid- 
erable prominence  in  the  colony.  After  his 
death  his  widow  Rebecca  married  John  Cowen,  • 
and  lived  in  the  house  of  her  former  husband 
until  1670.  Richard  Man  and  his  wife  Rebecca 
had  children,  born  in  Scituate :  Nathaniel,  born 
Sept.  23,  1646,  died  July  20,  1688;  Thomas, 
born  Aug.  15,  1650 ;  Richard,  born  Feb.  5,  1652, 
married  Elizabeth  Sutton;  Josiah,  born  Dec. 
10,  1654. 

(II)  Thomas  Man,  son  of  Richard  and  Re- 
becca, was  born  Aug.  15,  1650,  in  Scituate, 
Mass.  The  Christian  name  of  his  wife  was  Sarah. 
The  records  indicate  that  Mr.  Man  was  a  large 
landholder,  and  more  than  twenty  transfers  to 
and  from  him  are  found  in  the  record .  of  con- 
veyances. In  one  or  two  deeds  he  is  called  a 
wheelwright,  but  his  chief  occupation  was  farm- 
ing. In  1703  he  bought  lands  of  his  brother 
Richard,  and  ten  years  later  deeded  them  to  his 
own  son  Thomas.  He  was  a  coroner's  juror  in 
1677,  and  in  1680  his  name  was  propounded 
as  a  freeman  for  the  next  year  if  the  town  ap- 
proved. His  children  were :  Josiah,  born 
March  11,  1679,  died  in  1708,  unmarried; 
Thomas,  horn  April  5,  1681 ;  Sarah,  born  Nov. 
15,  1684,  married  a  Gibbs;  Mary,  born  March 
15,  1688;  Elizabeth,  born  March  10,  1692;  Jo- 
seph, born  Dec.  27,  1694;  Benjamin,  born  Feb. 
19,  1697,  married  Martha  Curtis;  and  Ensign, 
"born  about  1699,  married  widow  Tabitha  Vinal, 
of  Scituate. 

(Ill)* Thomas  Man  (2),  son  of  Thomas,  bom 
April  5, 1681,  in  Scituate,  married  Dec.  8,  1714, 
Deborah  Joy.     In  some  accounts  he  is  men- 

43 


tioned  as  a  cordwainer,  but  his  principal  occu- 
pation was  farming  on  lands  deeded  to  him  by 
his  father  in  1713.  He  died  Dec.  8,  1714.  His 
children  were:  Josiah,  born  Dec.  7,  1715, 
married  Jan.  2,  1741,  Mary  Chubbuck,  who  died 
in  1800;  Capt.  Thomas,  born  Nov.  26,  1717, 
married  (first)  Ruth  Damon,  and  (second) 
Deborah  Briggs;  David,  born  Nov.  9,  1719, 
married  Alice  Healey;  Deborah,  born  Feb.  20, 
1721,  married  in  1749,  Abner  Curtis  of  Han- 
over; Sarah,  born  Feb.  20,  1721,  married  Jesse 
Curtis  of  Hanover;  and  Ebenezer,  born  Dec. 

28,  1725. 

•  (IV)  Ebenezer  Man,  son  of  Thomas  (2), 
born  Dec.  28,  1725,  in  Scituate,  Mass.,  mar- 
ried (first)  Aug.  22,  1751,  Rebecca  Magouq, 
who  was  the  mother  of  all  his  children.  •  He 
married  (second)  Oct.  1,  1772,  Ursula  Ran- 
dall. His  life  was  spent  chiefly  in  Pembroke, 
Mass.,  where  he  is  mentioned  as  a  shipwright, 
having  early  purchased  lands  at  what  was 
known  as  the  brick  kilns,  a  famous  shipbuild- 
ing locality  in  the  early  history  of  the  town. 
He  also  had  lands  near  the  North  river  bridge 
and  later  purchased  an  estate  where  Thomas 
Man  afterward  lived.  He  died  about  1805,  in 
Pembroke,  Mass.  His  children  were :  David, 
l)orn  Oct.  19,  1752  (0.  S.) ;  Rebecca,  born  Jan. 
12,  1755,  married  Joshua  Turner;  Ebenezer, 
l)orn  Aug.  6,  1757,  married  Sarah  Buffington; 
Betsey,  born  Oct.  14,  1759,  married  Thomas 
Nash. 

(V)  David  Mann,  son  of  Ebenezer,  born  Oct. 
19,  1752  (0.  S.),  in  Pembroke,  Mass.,  married 
Dec.  24,  1778,  Betsey  Bates,  of  Duxbury,  Mass. 
In  deeds  Mr.  Mann  is  called  a  shipwright.  It 
is  said,  also,  that  he  was  a  farmer,  and  a  dea- 
con in  the  "First  Church"  in  Pembroke,  Mass. 
He  died  there  Nov.  22,  1838,  leaving  a  will. 
His  wife  died  at  Pembroke,  in  1828,  aged  sixty- 
eight  years.  Children,  all  born  in  Pembroke, 
were:  Huldah,  born  Aug.  7,  1780  (married 
Jabez  Josselyn)  ;  David,  born  Nov.  29,  1782; 
Comfort,  born  July  11,  1785;  Ebenezer,  born 
Oct.  12,  1788  (married  Alma  Josselyn)  ;  Isaiah, 
born  May  22,  1791;  Daniel,  born  Nov.  8,  1793; 
Thomas,  born  June  10,  1796;  Betsey,  born 
April  18,  1799  (married  John  Turner  of  Pem- 
broke) ;  Josiah,  born  Oct.  16,  1801;  and  Me- 
linda,  born  June  4,  1807. 

(VI)  David  Mann,  son  of  David,  born  Nov. 

29,  1782,  in  Pembroke,  Mass.,  married  there 
Jan.  24,  1805,  Rebecca  Oldham,  daughter  of 
David  and  Rebecca  (Chandler)  Oldham,  of 
Pembroke,  born  Sept.  18,  1785,  and  died  Jan. 
7,  1855.  Both  are  buried  in  Central  cemetery. 
Mr.  Mann  was  a  resident  of  Pembroke,  Mass., 
by  trade  a  ship  joiner,  a  very  skillful  and  in- 


674 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


dustrious  workman.'  He  took  large  contracts 
in  Medford  and  elsewhere,  and  employed  many 
men  in  his  day.  He  died  in  Pembroke,  Oct. 
11,  1858.  His  children  were:  John  C,  born 
April  6, 1806,  married  Sylvia  L.  Hedge  ;  David 
0.,  born  Dec.  13,  1808,  married  Nancy  Austin; 
Jonathan  0.,  born  Dee.  13,  1808,  married  Eliza 
A.  Sears;  Almira,  born  April  1,  1811,  married 
George  Taber;  Adeline,  born  Feb.  13,  1813, 
married  George  Oldham;  Elizabeth,  born  Dec. 
26,  1815,  married  Robert  Ramsdell ;  Mary  T., 
born  July  15,  1820,  married  Seth  Whitman, 
Jr. ;- and  Lucy  P.,  born  Sept.  3,  1822,  married 
Horace  J.  Foster. 

(VII)  John  Chandler  Mann,  son  of  David 
and  Rebecca,  was  born  in  Pembroke,  April  6, 
1806,  and  died  April  23,  1867.  He  attended  the 
common  schools,  and  then  learned  the  mold- 
er's  trade  in  the  iron  foundries,  aft#r  wliich 
he  went  to  Boston  and  worked  at  Alger's  foun- 
dry as  master  workman,  later  becoming  super- 
intendent. He  was  also  employed  at  different 
times  in  Canton,  and  in  Bridgewater,  Mass. 
On  March  1,  1827,  he  married  Silvia  Lovell 
Hedge,  born  in  Nantucket,  Nov.  25,  1806, 
daughter  of  John  and  Clarissa  (Crowell) 
Hedge,  of  Pembroke.  She  died  in  Pembroke, 
June  23,  1875,  and  was  buried  beside  her  hus- 
band in  Central  cemetery.  Their  children,  born 
in  Pembroke  and  Boston,  were:  (1)  Maria, 
born  Feb.  26,  1828,  married  Sept.  27,  1847, 
James  R.  Josselyn  (who  died  in  1882),  and 
had  three  children,  Ella  F.  (married  E.  M. 
Jones),  Oilman  and  James  E.  (2)  Priscilla 
Josselyn,  born  April  9,  1830,  married  April  29, 
1849,  Dr.  Francis  Collamore,  of  Pembroke,  and 
had  two  children,  Fiorina  M.  (born  June  28, 
1862)  and  Francis,  Jr.  (born  Oct.  23,  1855, 
and  residing  in  East  Bridgewater).  (3) 
Charles  E.,  born  April,  1833,  died  in  August, 
1833.  (4)  Clara  Hedge,  born  April  6,  1834, 
married  Sept.  12,  1858,  Josiah  Dean  Bonney, 
and  had  a  son,  Charles  Dean  (born  July,  1867, 
married  to  Etta  Stetson).  (5)  John  Hedge, 
born  September,  1836,  died  August,  1842.  (6) 
Frederick  Chandler  is  mentioned  below.  (7) 
Louise  Frances,;. born  Aug.  1,  1841,  married 
Jan.  29,  1865,fHenry  B.  White,  and  they  made 
their  home  in  Boston,  where  both  died,  and  they 
are  buried  at  Forest  Hills  cemetery  tliere.  Tliey 
had  two  sons,  Harry  Howard  and  Frederick 
Leonard.  (8)  Florena  Ella,  born  July  8,  1843, 
died  Nov.  26,  1860.  (9)  Edwin  Forrest,  born  in 
September,  1845,  died  Nov.  19,  1860.  (10) 
Julia  Augusta,  born  Aug.  7,  1848,  married  Wil- 
liam P.  Bates,  of  Boston,  and  their  son,  William 
Franklin,  born  in  June,  1876,  resides  at  Ever- 
ett, Massachusetts. 


(VIII)  Frederick  Chandler  Mann,  son  of 
John  Chandler,  was  born  in  Boston,  Jan.  24,. 
1839,  but  was  still  quite  young  when  his  father 
took  his  family  back  to  the  old  homestead  in 
Pembroke.  There,  in  the  public  schools  he  ac- 
quired his  preliminary  education,  and  his  stud- 
ies were  completed  in  Hanover  Academy.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen  he  came  to  East  Bridgewater, 
where  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  serving 
his  apprenticeship  with  William  Hudson.  He 
then  went  to  Providence,  R.  I.,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade  for  a  Mr.  Gale  for  about  three 
years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  returned  to 
East  Bridgewater,  and  entered  the  employ  of  the- 
Carver  Cotton  Gin  Company  in  the  wood  work- 
ing department,  setting  up  the  wooden  parts  of 
the  cotton  gin.  Later  he  went  into  the  machin- 
ery department,  and  while  there  perfected  a 
number  of  inventions,  which  were  made  use 
of  in  cotton  seed  oil  machinery.  On  several  of 
these  he  was  granted  Letters  Patent,  under 
which  he  licensed  the  above  named  company 
to  manufacture.  He  was  also  for  many  years 
directly  interested  in  the  manufacture  of  a 
cotton  seed  huller,  another  patented  invention 
of  his. 

When  Mr.  Mann  started  on  the  road  as  a 
traveling  salesman,  it  was  to  sell  machinery 
to  box  board  mills  through  New  York,  Vermont, 
New  Hampshire,  Maine  and  Canada.  He- 
proved  his  worth,  and  the  Carver  Company  sent 
him  South  through  North  Carolina,  South  Car- 
olina, Georgia,  Florida,  Alabama,  Mississippi, 
Louisiana  and  Te.xas.  His  trips  consumed 
about  nine  months  of  each  year.  He  made  his 
first  trip  in  1869,  and  his  last  in  1903.  After 
retirement  from  the  road  he  remained  in  the 
employ  of  the  same  company  until  some  months 
before  his  death.  He  was  a  trustee  of  the  East 
Bridgewater  Savings  Bank. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Mann  was  a  Mason,  taking 
the  first  three  degrees  in  Fellowship  Lodge,  A. 
F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Bridgewater,  and  later  became- 
a  member  of  Satucket  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  at 
East  Bridgewater,  and  was  a  life  member  of' 
the  Satucket  Royal  Arch  Chapter  at  Brockton. 
In  his  younger  days  he  belonged  to  the  Good' 
Templars,  and  was  always  a  believer  in  tem- 
perance. In  politics  he  was  a  Republican.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  First  Parish  (Unitarian) 
of  East  Bridgewater.  His  remains  rest  in  Cen- 
tral cemetery.  East  Bridgewater. 

On  Nov.  23,  1864,  Mr.  Mann  married  Pa- 
melia  Leonard  Hill,  daughter  of  Leonard  and' 
Pamela  (Cushing)  Hill,  of  East  Bridgewater. 
To  bless  this  union  came  children  as  follows: 
(1)  Charles  Frederick,  born  April  12,  1869,  in 
East   Bridgewater,   is   unmarried,   and   resides 


C^>^^Y^^    C3  ^^'^y^^Kf^^^ 


SOUTHEASTEKN  MASSACHUSETTS 


675 


with  his  mother  at  the  old  home.  He  graduated 
from  the  East  Bridgewater  high  school  in  1885, 
and  from  the  Bryant  &  Stratton  Commercial 
School  in  Boston  in  June,  1886.  The  following 
August  he  became  time  keeper,  paymaster  and 
assistant  bookkeeper  in  the  Carver  Cotton  Gin 
Company,  where  he  remained  until  April  30, 
1893,  when  he  resigned.  On  May  1,  1893,  he 
became  treasurer  of  the  East  Bridgewater  Sav- 
ings Bank,  and  still  holds  that  position.  He 
has  been  active  in  public  affairs,  and  served 
as  town  treasurer  from  1902  until  1911,  when 
he  resigned.  In  1902  and  1903  he  was  town 
clerk.  For  several  years  he  was  treasurer  of  the 
Board  of  Trade  of  East  Bridgewater,  and  of 
the  Savings  Bank  Treasurers  Club  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  is  a  member  of  the  Commercial 
Club  of  Brockton.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason, 
belonging  to  Satucket  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
of  East  Bridgewater,  in  which  he  is  past  mas- 
ter; Harmony  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  of  Bridge- 
water,  in  which  he  is  past  high  priest ;  Brocktcfti 
Council,  R.  &  S.  M.,  of  Brockton;  Old  Colony 
Commandery,  No.  15,  K.  T.,  of  Abington,  in 
which  he  is  generalissimo;  and  in  1900  and 
1901  was  District  Deputy  Grand  Master  of  the 
24th  Masonic  District.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
First  Parish  (Unitarian)  of  East  Bridgewater, 
and  for  several  years  has  been  a  member  of 
the  parish  committee.  (2)  Mary  Isabel,  born 
March  12,  1876,  attended  the  public  schools  of 
East  Bridgewater,  and  the  Bryant  &  Stratton 
Commercial  School  in  Boston,  after  which  she 
was  bookkeeper  in  the  East  Bridgewater  Sav- 
ings Bank  for  eight  years,  resigning  then  on 
account  of  ill  health;  she  married  Nov.  17, 
1910,  Leon  E.  Keith,  of  Campello,  Mass.,  where 
they  reside.  (3)  Grace  Leonard,  born  April 
19,  1882,  attended  the  public  schools,  and  was 
graduated  from  the  State  Normal  School  at 
Bridgewater,  in  1903.  She  taught  school  in 
Raynham  Center  for  a  time ;  she  married  Dec. 
27,  1910,  Andrew  Richmond  Parker,  of  East 
Bridgewater,  where  they  reside. 

In  1900  Mrs.  Mann  purchased  the  old  Hobart 
house  on  Central  street,  and  has  since  made  it 
her  home.  This  house  was  built  in  1799,  by 
Gen.  Sylvanus  Lazell,  and  is  a  fine  specimen  of 
the  New  England  architecture  of  that  period. 


Hill.  The  Hill  family,  to  which  Mrs.  Mann 
belongs,  is  descended  from  (I)  John  Hill,  immi- 
grant, who  was  at  Dorchester,  Mass.,  in  1633. 
His  wife  Frances  was  admitted  to  the  church 
before  1639.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Boston 
Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  Company.  He 
died  May  31,  1664.  His  will  was  proved  June 
30,  1664.    He  bequeathed  to  his  wife  Frances, 


sons  John  and  Samuel,  and  daughter  Mary. 
His  widow  married  (second)  Jonas  Austin,  and 
removed  to  Taunton,  being  dismissed  from  the 
Dorchester  Church,  June  28,  1674;  he  died  at 
Dorchester,  Nov.  18,  1676.  To  John  and  Fran- 
ces Hill  were  born  children:  John  settled  at 
the  "Farms,"  on  Charles  river,  was  twice  mar- 
ried and  died  before  March  20,  1718;  Frances; 
Jonathan,  baptized  Aug.  12,  1640;  Mary  mar- 
ried April  12,  1656,  Thomas  Breck,  of  Sher- 
born ;  Samuel,  baptized  in  1638,  died  young; 
Samuel  (2),  in  1640;  Hannah,  born  in  1641, 
removed  to  Taunton;  Mercy,  born  Jan.  8,  1642- 
43;  Ebenezer  sold  land  in  Dorchester,  1675; 
Martha,  baptized  Aug.  20,  1648;  Mehetabel, 
baptized  Feb.  18,  1650-51 ;  Ruth  married  Roger 
Willis ;  and  Rebecca  was  admitted  to  the  church 
Sept.  11,  1664. 

(II)  Jonathan  Hill,  son  of  John,  baptized 

Aug.  12,  1640,  married  Mary ,  and  early 

removed  to  Bridgewater,  Mass.  Their  children 
were:  Nathaniel  married  in  1710,  Hannah, 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  Conant;  Ebenezer;  Jon- 
athan perhaps  went  to  Middleboro;  Mary  mar- 
ried in  1702,  Elnathan  Bassett;  and  Bethiah 
was  a  member  of  the  church  in  1724. 

(III)  Ebenezer  Hill,  son  of  Jonathan,  mar- 
ried in  1714,  Susanna,  daughter  of  Jacob  Leon- 
ard. They  died,  he,  in  1760,  and  she,  in  1764. 
Their  children  were:  Ebenezer,  born  in  1715; 
Jacob,  born  in  1717;  Israel,  born  in  1719;  and 
Eleazer,  born  in  1730. 

(IV)  Jacob  Hill,  son  of  Ebenezer,  married 
in  1754,  Abigail,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Bonney, 
of  Pembroke.  Their  children  were :  Hezekiah, 
born  in  1754;  Jacob,  born  in  1756;  Susanna, 
born  in  1759;  Abigail,  born  in  1761;  Eleazer, 
born  in  1764.  Of  these  Hezekiah  and  Eleazer 
went  to  Maine.  The  parents  died,  he,  in  1804, 
aged  eighty-seven,  and  she,  in  1781,  aged  fifty- 
one. 

(V)  Jacob  Hill  (2),  son  of  Jacob,  born  in 
1756,  married  in  1780,  Anne,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Tribou,  a  Frenchman  who  settled  in 
Bridgewater,  as  early  as  1745,  and  his  wife 
Margery  Pratt.  Their  children  were:  Mel- 
zar,  horn  in  1783;  Jacob,  born  in  1784;  Nanny, 
born  in  1786,  married  in  1809  Ephraim  Carey, 
and  went  to  Minot;  Leonard,  born  in  1788,  is 
mentioned  below.  Of  these,  Melzar  married 
Mary  Howland  and  went  to  Minot,  now  Au- 
Imrn,  Maine ;  Jacob  was  graduated  from  Brown 
University  in  1807,  settled  as  a  lawyer  at  Minot 
and  married  Marcia  Lobdell.  The  parents  died, 
he,  in  1827,  aged  seventy,  and  she,  in  1823, 
aged  sixty-five. 

(VI)  Leonard  Hill,  son  of  Jacob  (2),  born 
in  East  Bridgewater,  March  28,  1788,  married 


676 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


(first)  in  1817,  Polly,  daughter  of  Jonah  Willis, 
of  Bridgewater.  To  this  union  was  born  a  son, 
Charles  Henry,  who  died  in  Boston  at  the  age 
of  twenty-three  years.  Mr.  Hill  married  (sec- 
ond) Pamela  Cushing,  daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Zerviah  (Chamberlain)  Cushing,  of  East 
Bridgewater.  All  are  buried  in  the  Central 
cemetery  at  East  Bridgewater.  The  children 
born  of  the  second  marriage  were :  Pamelia 
Leonard,  now  Mrs.  Mann;  and  Mary  Caroline, 
born  Aug.  20,  1843,  who  married  America 
Emerson  Stetson,  of  Whitman,  and  they  had 
one  son,  Frank  Cushing  Stetson,  who  married 
Lizzie  Gertrude  Soule,  of  Whitman;  they  have 
been  the  parents  of  four  children,  Dorothy  Eliz- 
abeth (who  died  in  infancy),  Dana  Emerson, 
Robert  Jackson  and  Theodore. 

DARLING.  (I)  John  and  Dennis  Darling 
appeared  at  Braintree,  Mass.,  appro.ximately  two 
hundred  and  fifty  years  ago.  To  the  latter  is 
traced  the  lineage  of  Joseph  Monroe  Darling,  so 
long  well  knowii  in  Fall  River.  Jojm  Darling 
was  at  Braintree,  Mass.,  as  early  as  1660.  He 
married  in  1664  Elizabeth  Dowman  (?),  and 
Dennis  married  in  1662  Hannah  Francis,  both 
families  having  children. 

(II)  Capt.  John  Darling,  son  of  Dennis,  bom 
Sept.  2,  1664,  in  Braintree,  married  there  (first) 
Elizabeth  Tliompson.  She  died  in  1687,  and  he 
married  (second)  in  1690  Anne,  and  (third) 
Elizabeth  Morse.  Captain  Darling  settled  in 
Bellingham,  Mass.  He  is  reputed  to  have  been 
a  great  business  man,  and  owner  of  considerable 
land.  He  is  said  to  have  headed  the  petition  for 
the  setting  off  of  the  town  of  Bellingham,  whicli 
was  incorporated  in  1719.  He  died  in  1753-54, 
in  Bellingham,  aged  eighty-nine  years.  His 
children  born  to  the  third  marriage  were: 
Elizabeth,  Samuel,  Ruth,  Hannah,  Margaret, 
Ebenezer,  Mary,  Martha,  Abigail  and  Deborah. 

(III)  Capt.  Samuel  Darling,  son  of  Capt. 
John,  born  March  18,  1693-94,  died  Feb.  17, 
1774.  He  married  (first)  Dec.  15,  1716,  Mar}' 
Thompson,  of  Mendon,  Mass.,  and  their  chil- 
dren were:  Samuel,  Michael,  Elizabeth,  Ruth, 
Abigail,  John,  Rachel,  Penelope  and  Joshua. 

(IV)  John  Darling,  son  of  Capt.  Samuel  and 
Mary  (Thompson)  Darling,  had  children: 
John,  Nathaniel,  Seth,  Penelope,  Sarah  and 
Hannah.  The  will  of  John  Darling  was  pro- 
bated April  1,  1800,  at  Dedham,  Mass..  giving 
to  his  son  Seth  his  estate  as  provided  therein. 

(V)  Seth  Darling,  son  of  John,  was  bom 
April  28,  1777.  in  Bellingham,  ilass.  (prob- 
ably), and  died  Feb.  12,  1861.  He  married 
(first)  Susannah  Cook,  bom  Feb.  10,  1776,  who 
died  Oct.  12,  1812.    He  married  for  his  second 


wife  Susannali  Clark,  born  in  1784,  in  Gloces- 
ter,  R.  I.  There  were  four  children  by  the 
first  marriage:  Anna,  born  May  17,  1800; 
Horatio  N.,  born  Aug.  16,  1802  (died  in 
1871)  ;  Almira,  born  July  12,  1804  (died  July, 
1828)  ;  and  Silas  J.,  born  May  11,  1807.  By 
the  second  marriage  there  were:  Isaac  C,  bom 
July  31,  1814;  Susannah  Mercy,  born  March 
19,  1818;  Barton  M.,  born  July  18,  1821;  and 
William  J.,  born  xVpril  19,  1823 — all  born  in 
Glocester,  Rhode  Island. 

(VI)  Horatio  N.  Darling,  son  of  Seth  and 
Susannah  (Cook)  Darling,  born  in  Glocester, 
R.  I.,  Aug.  16,  1802,  died  in  1871.  He  married 
Wait  Taylor,  daughter  of  John  Taylor  (she 
was  a  cousin  of  President  Zachary  Taylor), 
and  their  children,  all  bom  in  West  Glocester, 
R.  I.,  were :  Amasa  Ross,  bom  Nov.  15,  1825, 
died  in  April,  1845;  Horatio  N.,  Jr.,  born  Nov. 
14,  1828,  married  Emetine  M.  Rich;  William 
S.,  bom  June  27,  1831,  died  in  1834;  John 
Allen,  born  Feb.  12,  1833,  married  Marietta 
J.  Rich ;  Joseph  M.,  bom  July  18,  1835,  is  men- 
tioned below;  Henry  C,  born  Aug.  5,  1837, 
married  Ruth  S.  Slade,  of  Fall  River,  and  died 
March  31,  1907;  Benjamin  L.,  born  in  1841, 
married  Rhoda  Earns,  of  Fall  River. 

(VII)  Joseph  Monroe  Darling,  son  of 
Horatio  N.  and  Wait  (Taylor)  Darling,  was 
born  July  18,  1835,  in  West  Glocester,  R.  I. 
His  parents  removing  to  Fall  River  when  he 
was  a  child  of  five  years,  he  there  passed  his 
boyhood  and  acquired  his  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools.  His  school  days  over,  he  began 
employment  in  Eddy's  Woolen  Mill  there,  in 
which  he  continued  for  three  years.  He  then 
learned  and  followed  for  a  time  the  carpenter's 
trade,  which  in  time  led  to  the  business  of 
contracting  and  building,  wdiich  he  followed 
quite  e.xtensively  and  successfully  for  some  fif- 
teen years,  during  which  period  he  constructed 
in  and  about  Fall  River  many  large  business 
buildings  and  dwelling-houses  and  a  number  of 
public  buildings,  including  several  schoolhouses. 
In  the  meantime  he  gradually  drifted  into  the 
special  branch  of  business  akin  to  it — that  of 
an  architect — which  superseded  the  other  and 
in  which  he  has  now  been  engaged  for  approxi- 
mately forty  years.  And  it  is  needless  to  say 
that  during  that  long  period  he  has  designed 
not  a  few  of  the  best  class  of  houses  in  and 
about  Fall  River  and  established  an  extensive 
business.  An  illustration  of  his  taste  and  pro- 
ficiency in  his  profession  is  seen  in  the  magni- 
ficent edifice  of  the  Boys'  Club,  including  the 
older  building  and  the  new  part  erected  in 
1906,  a  gift  to  the  citv  of  Fall  River  from 
Matthew  B.  C.  Borden,  of  New  York  Citv.  . 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


677 


In  time  Mr.  Darling  took  into  business  with 
him  his  sons,  who,  having  grown  up  as  it  were 
in  this  line  of  work,  became  proficient,  and  all 
in  a  manner  have  special  features  to  which  they 
have  given  their  attention.  The  sons  Joseph 
ajid  Frederick  Darling  give  special  attention  to 
contracting,  while  George  Darling  is  a  full- 
fledged  architect  and  with  his  father  deals  with 
that  feature  of  the  work.  Mr.  Darling  is  also 
in  business  in  Newport,  having  a  partnership 
with  Aldora  Slade  on  work  in  Rhode  Island. 
They  built  the  toi-jiedo  factoiy  for  the  govern- 
ment. 

The  senior  Mr.  Darling  was  for  a  number  of 
years  a  member  of  the  common  council  of  Fall 
River,  and  during  that  time  served  on  the 
committee  that  had  charge  of  the  introduction 
of  the  water  supply  for  the  city.  Socially  he 
is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  a  Mason,  in  the  latter 
connection  belonging  to  Narragansett  Lodge, 
Fall  River  Royal  Arch  Chapter  and  Godfrey  de 
Bouillon  Commandery. 

Mr.  Darling  has  taken  a  good  citizen's  part 
in  the  upbuilding  of  Fall  River  in  more  than 
one  respect.  He  did  his  duty  while  in  the  pub- 
lic service,  and  in  the  particular  business  to 
which  his  active  years  have  been  devoted  has 
found  opportunity  to  promote  the  material 
growth  of  the  city  and  influence  general  opinion 
in  the  right  direction  by  showing  in  his  work 
the  wisdom  of  combining  substantial  construc- 
tion with  pleasing  effects,  sacrificing  neither 
one  to  the  other. 

On  Sept.  30,  1857,  Mr.  Darling  married 
Hettie  A.,  daughter  of  George  and  Mehetabel 
Reynolds,  of  Fall  River,  but  formerly  of  Rhode 
Island.  Mrs.  Darling  died  Jan.  1,  1901.  Seven 
children  blessed  this  union:  (1)  Joseph  M. 
married  Annie  S.  Eddy,  of  Fall  River,  and  they 
had  two  children,  Joseph  M.  2d,  who  married 
Louise  Pollock,  and  Bessie,  now  deceased,  who 
married  Joseph  Palmer  and  had  four  children, 
Ethel,  Eddie,  Hettie  and  Janice.  (2)  George 
married  Frances  L.  Davis  and  had  three  chil- 
dren, Edward  W.,  Maud  F.  (wife  of  Raymond 
W.  Parlin)  and  George.  (3)  Frederick  E.  mar- 
ried Mary  Simmons  and  has  children,  Marion 
and  Wylder.  (4)  Edith  M.,  wife  of  Clinton 
G.  Albert,  city  collector,  has  children,  Dorothy 
and  Barton.  (5)  Annie  W.  is  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Bennett.  (6)  Edward  B.,  in  Florida,  has 
heen  twice  married ;  his  first  wife  was  Nellie 
Brightman.     (7)   Minnie  H. 

BARDEN.  The  surnames  Barden,  Bardeen, 
Burden,  and  Bourden  were  originally  Borden, 
in  the  spelling  of  which  there  are  over  thirty 
variations.      The    Bardens    of    Attleboro    and 


North  Attleboro  are  descendants  of  Richard 
Borden,  who  was  one  of  the  original  settlers  in 
Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island. 

(I)  Richard  Borden,  of  the  County  of  Kent, 
England,  born  in  1601,  came  to  New  England 
in  the  ship  "Elizabeth  and  Ann,"  in  1635, 
accompanied  by  his  wife  Joan  and  two  children. 
In  1638  he  went  from  Boston  to  Portsmouth, 
R.  L,  as  one  of  the  founders  of  that  town,  was 
admitted  a  freeman  there  in  1641,  and  subse- 
quently held  various  public  offices,  including 
that  of  deputy  to  the  General  Court.  He  wor- 
shiped with  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  in  all 
his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men  he  exemplified 
to  a  high  degree  the  principles  of  that  faith.  He 
died  in  Portsmouth  in  1671,  and  his  wife  died 
there  July  16,  1688.  Their  children  were: 
Thomas,  born  in  England ;  Francis,  also  born 
there;  Mathew,  born  in  Portsmouth  in  May, 
1638,  the  first  native  white  child  of  the  island 
of  Rhode  Island ;  John,  referred  to  below ; 
Joseph,  liorn  in  1643;  Sarah,  born  in  1644; 
Samuel,  born  in  1645;  Benjamin,  born  in 
1649  ;  Amie,  born  in  1654. 

(II)  John  Borden,  son  of  Richard,  was  bom 
in  Portsmouth,  in  September,  1640,  and  died 
there  June  4,  1716.  He  married  Dec.  25,  1670, 
Mary  Earl,  born  in  Portsmouth  in  1655,  died 
there  in  1734.  Children:  Richard,  born  Oct. 
24,  1671,  died  July  12,  1732;  John,  bom  in 
1675,  married  Sarah  Earl,  of  Portsmouth; 
Annie,  born  May  30,  1678,  married  Benjamin 
Chase,  of  Tiverton,  R.  I. ;  Joseph,  bom  Dec. 
3,  1680,  married  Sarah  Brownell,  of  Ports- 
mouth ;  Thomas  is  referred  to  below ;  Hope, 
born  March  3,  1684,  married  William  Olney, 
Jr.,  of  Tiverton;  William,  bora  Aug.  15,  1689, 
married  Alice  Hall,  of  Jamestown,  R.  I.;  Ben- 
jamin settled  in  Virginia;  Mary. 

(III)  Thomas  Borden,  son  of  John,  was  bom 
in  Portsmoutli,  R.  I.,  Dec.  13,  1682,  and  was 
residing  there  in  and  subsequent  to  1721.  He 
married  April  18,  1717,  Catherine  Hull,  born 
Feb.  23,  1689,  daughter  of  John  and  Alice 
(Teddeman)  Hull,  of  Jamestown.  He  married 
(second)  Oct.  4,  1727,  Mary  Briggs,  of  Ports- 
mouth, a  descendant  of  John  Briggs,  one  of 
the  founders  of  that  tovm.  His  three  sons, 
Thomas,  Isaac  and  Samuel  Borden  (or  Barden), 
settled  in  Attleboro.  Of  these  sons  Isaac,  who 
was  residing  in  Attleboro  in  1759,  married  Ex- 
perience Miller  and  reared  a  family;  and  Sam- 
uel, who  was  living  in  Attleboro  in  1766,  mar- 
ried a  Miss  Fuller  and  also  reared  a  family. 

(IV)  Thomas  Barden  (2),  son  of  Thomas, 
was  born  in  Portsmouth,  R.  I.  He  moved  to 
Attleboro,  Mass.,  as  early  as  1756.  Prior  to 
that  he  was  concerned  with  his  brothers,  Isaac 


678 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


and  Samuel  Borden,  in  real  estate  transactions 
in  Tiverton  and  Portsmouth.  In  the  recorded 
deed  of  this  period  he  is  designated  as  a  weaver, 
and  he  followed  that  occupation  in  connection 
with  farming.  He  married  Susanna,  daughter 
of  Jonathan  Riggs,  and  the  latters  homestead 
was  in  1786  conveyed  to  Thomas  Harden  by  Asa 
Hopkins  for  the  sum  of  eighteen  pounds,  being- 
referred  to  in  the  deed  as  "the  real  estate  of  our 
honored  father,  Jonathan  Riggs,  late  of  Attle- 
boro."  It  was  located  on  North  Main  street, 
and  they  occupied  it  as  homestead  until  May 
14,  1793,  when  with  their  other  property  and 
real  estate,  amounting  in  all  to  about  thirty-five 
acres,  it  was  conveyed  to  Ebenezer  Roltinson,  of 
Attleboro,  for  the  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds. 
In  later  years  the  Barden  homestead  on  Main 
street  came  into  the  possession  of  C'harles  Car- 
penter. Thomas  Barden  was  a  Revolutionary 
soldier,  and  is  credited  with  the  following  ser- 
vice :  On  alarm  from  Rhode  Island,  he  enlisted 
from  Attleboro,  Sept.  1,  1779,  as  private  in 
Capt.  Joseph  Franklin's  company.  Col.  Nathan 
Tylor's  regiment,  served  four  montlis  and  was 
discharged  Dec.  31,  1779.  He  reenlisted  July 
28,  1780,  in  Capt.  Caleb  Richardson's  company. 
Col.  Abiel  Mitchell's  regiment,  which  was 
raised  to  reinforce  the  Continental  army,  and 
was  discharged  Oct.  31,  1780.  Children  of 
Thomas  and  Susanna  (Riggs)  Barden:  Su- 
sanna, born  Sept.  3,  1763;  Thomas,  referred  to 
below;  George,  March  15,  1767  (died  Sept.  24, 
1772);  Otis,  Dec.  6,  1769;  Eleanor,  May  26, 
1772;  James,  March  21,  1774;  Silvanus,"Nov. 
22,  1779  ;  Mollv,  July  22,  1782;  Eunice,  March 
18,  1784. 

(V)  Thomas  Barden  (3),  son  of  Thomas  (2), 
born  in  Attleboro,  Mass.,  Feb.  24,  1765,  mar- 
ried Nancy  Alexander. 

(VI)  Thomas  Barden  (4),  only  child  of 
Thomas  (3),  was  born  in  Attleboro,  Mass.,  May 
3,  1788.  In  early  boyhood  he  was  placed  by  his 
mother  in  the  care  of  Luther  Fisher,  of  ^Y rent- 
ham,  with  whom  he  lived  during  the  remainder 
of  his  minority,  and  attended  the  district  school. 
When  a  young  man  he  was  employed  at  heading 
nails  by  J.  T.  Wolcott  and  others  and  he  later 
worked  for  Joseph  Grant,  in  Cumberland,  R. 
I.,  remaining  there  for  several  years.  Return- 
ing to  Wrentham  he  purchased  a  farm  located 
on  Blake's  Hill,  which  from  a  rough  and  unim- 
proved condition  he  brought  to  a  high  state  of 
fertility,  and  by  his  energy  and  perseverance 
made  it  one  of  the  most  productive  pieces  of 
agricultural  property  in  that  section  of  the 
Stat«.  He  also  erected  new  buildings,  which 
were  thenceforth  kept  in  good  repair,  and  dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  his  life  the  general  appear- 


ance of  his  homestead  denoted  the  thrift,  pros- 
perity and  neatness  of  its  owner.  In  connection 
with  farming  lie  engaged  quite  extensively  in 
the  wood  and  lumber  business,  purchasing  sev- 
eral tracts  of  woodland,  the  products  of  which 
he  sold  in  the  villages  of  Attleboro  and  Paw- 
tucket,  also  Central  Falls,  and  he  also  carried 
on  a  profitable  business  in  the  manufacture  of 
hoops  for  the  West  Indian  trade.  From  the  very 
moment  in  which  he  started  to  solve  the  prob- 
lem of  life  he  never  neglected  an  opportunity 
which  promised  advancement,  and  as  a  result 
his  prosperity  continued  unabated  for  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life,  wiiich  terminated  Oct.  13, 
1845.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Democrat, 
supporting  the  principle  of  equal  rights,  and 
strongly  opposing  monopolies. 

Thomas  Barden  married,  Sept.  13,  1812,  Ra- 
chael  Smith,  born  in  Cumberland,  R.  I.,  March 
1,  1789,  died  in  North  Attleboro,  Jan.  29, 
1880,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Ful- 
ler) Smith,  the  latter  a  daughter  of  Jeremiah 
Fuller.  Thomas  and  Rachael  Barden  were  in 
every  respect  exemplary  people.  They  not  only 
taught  their  children  habits  of  honesty,  frugality 
and  thrift,  but  through  their  own  example  in- 
culcated in  them  the  highest  principles  of 
Christian  morality,  and  they  made  their  home 
a  sacred  repository  of  all  that  is  noble,  righteous 
and  elevating.  The  family  attended  the  Bap- 
tist Church.  It  was  said  of  Rachael  that  she 
was  her  husband's  guardian  angel,  and  it  may 
be  truthfully  added  that  she  was  similarly  re- 
garded by  the  entire  family.  The  best  of  lielp- 
mates,  the  noblest  and  most  sacrificing  of 
mothers,  she  did  for  them  all  she  could  and  did 
it  well.  She  survived  her  husband  many  years, 
spending  her  last  days  with  her  daughter  Ann 
and  her  son  Halsey,  and  died  a  nonogenarian. 
She  reared  a  familv  of  seven  children,  namely: 

(1)  John  SmithBarden.  born  Nov.  19,  1813, 
died  Feb.  8,  1905.  He  was  an  ingenious  and 
skilled  mechanic,  inventing  and  manufacturing 
many  useful  devices,  particularly  pumps,  meters 
and  waterwheels.  He  married  Oct.  2,  1840, 
Rosetta  Ives,  who  was  born  May  15,  1820,  and 
died  Oct.  5,  1893.  Children:  Jesse,  born  in 
1847,  died  Jan.  4,  1848 ;  Lorinda,  born  in 
1842,  died  June  20,  1881. 

(2)  Ann  Elizabeth  Barden,  bom  Sept.  3, 
1816,  died  July  16,  1876.  She  taught  school 
in  Attleboro  and  Wrentham,  and  was  married 
Sept.  3,  1838,  to  Joseph  Blake.  Children: 
Edmund  M.,  born  Sept.  9,  1839,  died  Feb.  10, 
1910,  married  Ellen  Cheever,  and  had  one 
daughter,  Ethelyn  ;  Halsev  T.  was  bom  Nov.  26, 
1845;  Bradford  S.,  born  Aug.  26,  1848,  died 
Oct.  24,  1849 ;  George  Henry,  bora  Aug.  9,  1851, 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


679 


married  Elmira  Blackington  and  had  one  son, 
Elmer. 

(3)  Thomas  Alexander  Barden,  born  May  30, 
1819,  died  Feb.  7,  1905.  He  was  a  merchant 
and  manufacturer  and  later  a  farmer,  was  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  and  served  the  town  of  North 
Attleboro  as  selectman.  On  Oct.  12,  1813,  he 
married  Susan  Emily  White,  who  was  bom 
Aug.  23,  1819,  and  died  Feb.  12,  1890.  Chil- 
dren: Emily  Frances,  born  June  1,  1845,  died 
Dec.  27, 1845 ;  Francis  Irving,  born  Dec.  4,  184(3, 
jnarried  Sept.  25,  1867,  Harriett  B.  Warren,  and 
had  one  daughter,  Mabel  Warren,  bom  June 
17,  1868,  who  married  June  11,  1890,  William 
F.  Swift,  and  died  Jan.  20,  1910;  Ella  Irene, 
bom  Oct.  6,  1851,  married  Dec.  25,  1878, 
Oeorge  Eugene  Fisher,  and  has  had  children, 
Charles  Ellis  (bom  Jan.  24,  1880),  Eugene 
(bom  1882,  died  in  infancy),  Elliott  B.  (born 
Aug.  1,  1894,  died  1903)  ;  Walter  Elliott,  bom 
Dec.  10,  1853,  married  June  6,  1877,  Lucy  S. 
Bugbee,  who  was  born  Sept.  2,  1851,  and  died 
June  11,  1901.  the  mother  of  six  children, 
Harry  E.  (born  June  26,  1878),  Elvena  B. 
(born  Nov.  29.  1879,  married  April  4,  1906, 
Chester  F.  Melendy),  Louise  Annie  (bom  April 
•3,  1882),  Helen  S.  (bom  June  16,  1887), 
Thomas  Russell  (born  Jan.  22,  1890),  and 
Estelle  (bom  July  18,  1894);  Evelyn  Rhoda, 
bom  Oct.  20,  1858,  died  March  3,  1859;  Elvena 
Rachael,  twin  of  Evelyn  Rhoda,  died  April  10, 
1867;  Emily  Louise  was  bom  July  3,  1861. 

(4)  Laurinda  White  Barden,  born  June  6, 
1821,  died  Oct.  6,  1838. 

(5)  Joseph  Grant  Barden  is  referred  to  below. 

(6)  Stephen  Halsey  Barden,  born  Aug.  30, 
1826,  died  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  June  19,  1881. 
He  was  with  his  brother  Joseph  in  the  grocery 
business  in  North  Attleboro,  and  later  with 
Frederick  E.  Keep,  as  Barden  &  Keep,  in  the 
wholesale  flour  and  butter  business  in  Provi- 
xience,  R.  I.  He  married  April  27,  1856,  Sarah 
Ann  Crossley.  Children  :  Charles  Albert,  bom 
Feb.  26,  1858,  married  Dec.  19,  1887,  Clara 
■Cornelia  Wilbur;  Frederick  William,  bom  Jan. 
5,  1860,  married  (first)  in  November,  1885, 
Emily  Carter,  who  died  July  3,  1900,  and  mar- 
Tied  (second)  Sept.  6,  1906,  Mrs.  Marion  Hale 
Hilzer;  Wallace  Lincoln,  born  Sept.  23,  1862, 
married  Sept.  23,  1885,  Jennie  E.  R.  Cranston, 
-who  died  Sept.  5,  1901,  the  mother  of  one 
•daughter,  Madeline  (bom  Sept.  7,  1887),  and 
be  married  (second)  March  31,  1910,  Gertmde 
May  Speakman;  Sarah  Elizabeth,  born  Dec.  5, 
1864,  died  Sept.  5,  1866 ;  Edward  Everett,  bom 
Sept.  19,  1867.  married  Sept.  24,  1891,  Mary  E. 
Wood,  of  South  Pasadena,  Cal.,  and  has  chil- 
dren, Harold  (bom  Sept.  5,  1892)  and  Stephen 


Halsey  (bom  Dec.  27, 1900) ;  Estelle  Jane,  born 
Dec.  6,  1874,  married  in  August,  1902,  Floyd 
Rowe  Watson,  and  has  one  child,  Norman  Allen, 
bom  May  11,  1909. 

(7)  Clarissa  A.  Barden,  born  Sept.  13,  1829, 
died  Sept.  28,  1875.  She  taught  school  for 
many  years;  married  Oct.  12,  1856,  George  E. 
Bicknell,  who  was  born  March  10,  1829,  died 
March  5,  1900.  Children :  George  Atherton, 
born  June  25,  1858,  married  Olive  Simonson; 
Annie  Louise,  born  July  31,  1864,  married 
Nov.  13,  1888,  Henry  P.  Palin,  and  has  had 
children,  Chester  A.  (born  July  27,  1889),  Ho- 
mer Alden  (born  July  13,  1892),  and  Lester 
(born  July  29,  1890,  died  Nov.  10,  1890). 

(VII)  Joseph  Grant  Barden,  son  of  Thomas 
(4)  and  Rachael  (Smith),  was  bom  in  Wrent- 
ham  Sept.  2,  1824,  the  fifth  in  a  family  of  seven 
children.  He  was  educated  in  his  home  district, 
called  Blake's  Hill.  In  the  years  of  his  child- 
hood and  early  manhood,  Wrentham  being 
largely  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  straw 
bonnets,  nearly  every  well-to-do  farmer  re- 
served a  plat  of  land  whereon  he  raised  straw, 
cradled,  cured  and  bunched  in  June,  afterward 
cut  out,  whitened,  split  and  made  ready  for 
braiding.  This  was  much  in  demand  by  those 
who  manufactured  bonnets.  During  the  long 
winter  evenings  the  children,  both  boys  and 
girls,  were  seated  around  the  tallow  candle, 
each  having  their  number  of  yards  to  braid. 
Those  energetic  enough  to  complete  their  task 
early  could  have  for  their  own  use  all  they 
earned  afterward.  Here  was  a  chance  for  our 
protege  to  own  what,  above  all  things,  he  de- 
sired— a  violin.  With  the  aid  of  a  master  he 
soon  became  proficient,  and  his  presence,  with 
V)ow,  was  one  thing  needful  at  parties  and  sing- 
ing schools.  Later  he  sold  his  first  purchase 
and  secured  one  of  the  finest  violins  then  made ; 
this  was  a  lifelong  companion.  It  was  menial 
service  in  those  days,  even  for  a  promising 
youth,  to  walk  beside  a  yoke  of  oxen,  with  cords 
of  wood,  to  be  delivered  in  Providence  some 
fourteen  miles  away,  and  bring  back  whatever 
was  ordered  by  grocers  or  contractors  of  build- 
ings in  the  villages  he  passed.  Much  of  the 
route  on  his  way  was  at  that  time  thinly  peo- 
pled, so  he  was  acquainted  with  the  heads  of 
each  household,  and  in  the  decline  of  his  life 
enjoyed  greatly  the  narration  of  those  jour- 
neys, which  he  punctuated  with  many  funny  in- 
citlents.  Soon  after  his  twenty-first  birthday, 
his  father's  death  placed  him  as  the  head  man- 
ager of  the  homestead  farm.  In  1847,  two  years 
later,  his  younger  brother  Halsey  and  he  be- 
came partners  in  this  and  other  lines  of  busi- 
ness.    They  started  a  small  grocery  trade,  also 


680 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


manufactured  hoop  poles,  which  found  a  ready 
sale  in  Providence.  They  quarried  from  a  ledge 
on  the  farm  large  quantities  of  stone,  not  de- 
livered, however,  by  the  oxen  his  father  had 
owned,  but  by  two  pairs  of  fine  spirited  horses 
of  his  own  purchase.  The  success  which  fol- 
lowed proved  his  ability  in  planning  work  and 
acting  as  leader  in  responsible  places.  In  1850 
they  built  the  house  on  the  corner  of  Park  and 
Whiting  streets,  the  ground  floor  being  used  as 
a  grocery  and  dry  goods  store  by  their  older 
brother,  Thomas  A.  In  1853  Thomas  A.  sold 
the  business  to  them.  Two  years  later,  1855, 
Joseph  Grant  and  Stephen  Halsey  Barden 
erected  a  fine  structure  at  the  junction  of  Park 
and  Washington  streets,  locating  their  business, 
"Flour,  Grain  and  Groceries,"  on  the  east  side 
of  the  building,  and  renting  to  Thomas  A.  the 
west  side  for  dry  goods.  The  second  story  was 
fitted  and  furnished  for  a  hall.  It  was  dedi- 
cated on  Thanksgiving  Eve,  1855,  and  is  re- 
membered as  the  first  building  (aside  from  the 
shops)  in  North  Attleboro  where  gas  had  been 
installed.  It  was  known  as  "Barden's  Store." 
Residents  in  town  and  the  towns  adjoining 
made  this  the  "mecca  of  trade'" ;  their  rule  was 
"large  sales  with  small  profits."  In  1857  Mr. 
Barden  changed  his  residence  to  North  Attle- 
boro, but  managed  the  homestead  farm  until 
1861.  The  year  1864  found  the  brothers  in 
partnership  with  Charles  B.  Thompson,  who 
had  been  in  their  employ  as  clerk.  Joseph  G. 
(always  the  buyer)  now  made  several  trips 
West,  purchasing  cargoes  of  com,  and  flour  from 
mills,  visiting  the  dairj'  farms  of  Vermont  and 
New  Hampshire,  purchasing  at  first  cost. 
Shortly  afterward  he  also  established  a  grain 
business  in  Providence  with  Otis  Cook,  and  con- 
ducted it  successfully  till  1868,  when  it  was 
dissolved.  In  1869  the  brothers  (partners  for 
twenty-two  years)  sold  the  North  Attleboro 
store  and  business  to  Charles  B.  Thompson.  In- 
dustrious and  persevering  by  nature,  Joseph  G. 
decided  in  1878  to  give  the  coal  trade  a  trial. 
This  he  followed  for  seven  years  with  good  re- 
sults. Later  he  was  the  senior  member  of  a 
jewelry  firm  known  as  Barden,  Blake  &  Com- 
pany of  Plainville,  and  in  1897  he  retired  from 
active  service  and  the  jewelrj'  plant  passed  into 
the  hands  of  one  of  liis  sons.  His  judgment 
regarding  the  value  of  property  was  considered 
excellent  and  his  conscientious  scruples  (never 
swerving  from  right  for  either  party)  made  him 
even  in  early  manJiood  much  in  demand  as  a 
referee  in  the  appraisal  of  estates.  He  filled 
various  offices  of  trust  in  town,  those  of  select- 
man, school  committeeman,  surveyor  of  streets, 
assessor,  overseer  of  the  poor,  member  of  the 


building  conunittee  for  the  high  school,  alms- 
house, etc.  He  with  Henry  F.  Barrows  obtained 
from  the  Legislature  the  charter  for  the  North 
Attleboro  waterworks;  this  charter  was  later 
transferred  to  the  town.  He  was  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Attleboro  Agricultural  Association 
during  the  years  of  its  existence,  filling  many 
of  its  offices  without  stint  of  time,  labor  or 
purse ;  was  vice  president  of  same  for  two  years. 
The  Attleboro  Savings  Bank  he  served  for  fifteen 
years  as  member  of  tlie  investigating  committee 
and  more  than  twenty  years  as  trustee.  Of  the 
Plainville  Savings  and  Loan  Association  he  was 
trustee  and  director  for  twentv-three  years;  in 
the  records  of  the  association  lor  190.3  his  long 
connection  with  the  association  is  pointed  to 
with  great  pride  by  the  board  of  directors  and 
they  regretted  to  be  obliged  to  accept  his  resig- 
nation, the  secretary  being  requested  to  pre- 
pare a  set  of  resolutions  on  the  long  and  able 
service  of  Mr.  Barden,  the  retiring  trustee.  He 
was  from  early  life  greatly  interested  in  all 
things  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  the  town 
and  its  suburbs.  Though  his  zeal  even  at  this 
date  was  in  no  way  abated,  his  declining  health 
caused  him  to  relinquish  one  by  one  his  accus- 
tomed public  places,  the  last  one  as  director  of 
the  North  Attle))oro  Gaslight  Compan^y,  to 
which  office  he  was  chosen  in  1862,  remaining 
on  the  board  until  his  death,  a  period  of  forty- 
six  years.  He  was  often  a  member  of  some 
committee  to '  attend  to  its  most  important 
affairs ;  also  an  auditor  of  the  company  for  many 
years,  which  made  him  familiar  with  all  the 
details  of  the  business.  The  following  is  quoted 
from  the  writings  of  one  among  them:  "Mr. 
Barden  was  a  very  valuable  member  of  the 
board,  and  was  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by 
other  members  whose  financial  interests  were 
larger  than  his  own.  He  had  the  entire  con- 
fidence of  those  associated  witli  him."  A  man 
of  temperance  and  integrity,  of  few  words, 
when  he  expressed  liis  opinion  they  carried 
weight.  Gifted  like  his  mother  with  a  remark- 
able memory,  he  was  a  great  reader  and  kept 
in  touch  with  all  events  of  the  day.  He  never 
aspired  to  oflice,  yet  during  Cleveland's  admin- 
istration was  urged  by  the  Democratic  party 
to  allow  his  name  to  be  \ised  and  was  nominated 
as  representative.  Though  the  Republican  party 
won,  this  is  worthy  of  note — he  ran  far  beyond 
his  ticket.  He  had  a  wide  acquaintance  among 
business  men,  and  held  the  respect  of  those  with 
whom  he  had  associated  during  his  long  life 
of  eighty-four  years. 

Joseph  Grant  Barden  married  Dec.  9,  1857, 
Arm  Frances,  born  in  Attleboro,  daughter  of 
Stephen  and  Chloe  ilartin  (Pierce)  Clark,  the 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


681 


former  a  blacksmith  of  Wrentham.  Children: 
(1)  Cora  Florence,  born  Aug.  31,  1859,  has 
been  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  North 
Attleboro  for  nearly  thirty  years.  (2)  Arthur 
Stephen,  born  Oct.  9,  1861,  died  July  18, 
1864.  (3)  Edgar  Joseph,  born  March  26,  1865, 
is  an  engraver.  (1)  Winthrop  Francis  is  men- 
taoned  below.  (5)  Adelbert  Mason,  born  June 
18,  1872,  is  connected  with  the  J.  C.  Hall  Com- 
pany, of  Providence,  R.  I.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  was  foreman  of  their  lithographing 
department,  and  is  now  the  traveling  salesman. 
He  is  a  member  of  Aurora  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F., 
of  North  Attleboro,  and  the  Masonic  bodies. 
He  married  Dec.  5,  1899,  Mattie  Louise  Dean, 
of  North  Attleboro.  (6)  Henry  Clark,  bom 
May  12,  1875,  is  an  electrical  engineer.  He 
graduated  from  Tufts  College  in  1897,  was  for 
seven  years  chief  electrician  at  the  Massachu- 
setts statehouse,  and  he  is  now  doing  business 
in  Attleboro  as  an  electrical  contractor  and 
dealer  in  electrical  goods. 

(VIII)  WixTHROP  Francis  Baeden,  third 
son  and  fourth  child  of  Joseph  Grant  and  Ann 
Frances  (Clark)  Barden,  was  born  in  North 
Attleboro,  Mass.,  Dec.  3,  1868.  His  education 
was  acquired  at  the  public  and  high  schools, 
supplemented  by  a  course  in  the  Bryant  & 
Stratton  commercial  college  in  Providence,  R. 
I.,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1888.  He 
then  became  bookkeeper  for  Wade,  Davis  & 
Company,  of  Wrentham  (now  Plainville), 
Mass.,  remaining  with  them  till  1893,  when  he 
was  made  manager  of  the  jewelry  manufac- 
turing concern  of  Barden,  Blake  &  Company. 
In  1897  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Martin 
I.  Chapman,  the  firm  name  being  Chapman  & 
Barden,  manufacturers  of  jewelry.  In  1904 
they  removed  their  business  to  more  commo- 
dious quarters  at  No.  37  County  street,  Attle- 
boro. Two  years  later  Mr.  Chapman  disposed 
of  his  interest  to  Harry  E.  Hull,  the  new  firm 
being  Barden  &  Hull,  manufacturers  of  solid 
gold  jewelry.  Mr.  Barden  was  for  a  number  of 
years  a  director  of  the  Plainville  Savings  and 
Loan  Association.  He  was  the  leading  spirit 
in  the  organization,  under  the  Massachusetts 
laws,  of  the  Bronson  Building  Company,  an 
a.ssociation  which  bought  the  late  Dr.  John  R. 
Bronson  homestead  property  and  built  a  mod- 
em block  called  the  Bronson  building,  which 
in  addition  to  stores  and  offices  contains  the 
very  attractive  and  convenient  Masonic  halls 
and  parlors.  Later  the  Bronson  apartments 
and  court  building  were  erected,  these  being 
among  the  substantial  structures  of  Attleboro. 
Dr.  Charles  S.  Holden  is  president  of  this  com- 
pany, Maj.  E.   S.  Horton  was  vice  president, 


and  Mr.  Barden  is  director  and  general  manager 
of  the  properties.  Mr.  Barden  has  also  erected 
a  residence  on  Soiith  Main  street,  where  he  now 
resides.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Pilgrim  (Uni- 
tarian) Church  of  Attleboro,  one  of  the  stand- 
ing committee  and  served  on  the  committee  in 
charge  of  the  erection  of  the  church  recently 
built.  He  is  a  member  of  the  following  organ- 
izations: Bristol  Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons;  King  Hiram  Chapter,  Royal 
Arch  Masons;  Attleboro  Council,  Royal  and 
Select  Masters;  Bristol  Commandery,  Knights 
Templar  (now  holding  the  office  of  com- 
mander) . 

Mr.  Barden  married,  at  Attleboro,  April  12, 
1899,  Louise,  daughter  of  Dr.  John  R.  and 
Catherine  F.  (Wheelock)  Bronson.  Dr.  Bronson 
was  distinguished  as  a  physician  and  surgeon, 
in  general  practice  in  Attleboro.  During  the 
Civil  war  he  served  as  surgeon  and  at  one  time 
was  in  charge  of  the  military  hospital  at 
Fortress  Monroe.  [See  Bronson  and  Pierce 
genealogies.] 

DeWITT  CLINTON  PACKARD,  of  Brock- 
ton, is  perhaps  best  known  as  the  oldest  town 
clerk  of  Plymouth  county  in  regard  to  length 
of  service.  He  has  been  city  clerk  of  Brockton 
throughout  the  period  of  its  existence  as  a  city, 
and  was  serving  as  town  clerk  when  the  change 
from  town  to  city  government  took  place.  He 
has  held  the  office  continuously  since  first 
elected  to  it,  at  present  (1911)  rounding  out 
his  thirtieth  year  in  that  incumbency. 

Mr.  Packard  was  born  Sept.  22,  1834,  in 
the  town  of  North  Bridgewater  (now  Brock- 
ton), Plymouth  Co.,  Mass.,  and  is  a  descend- 
ant in  the  eighth  generation  from  Samuel 
Packard,  the  emigrant  ancestor  of  a  numerous 
and  respected  family  of  this  section.  We  give 
an  outline  of  the  earlier  generations  herewith. 

(I)  Samuel  Packard  (name  in  early  records, 
both  at  Hingham  and  Bridgewater,  Packer) 
came  from  Windham,  near  Hingham,  in  Eng- 
land, with  wife  and  child  in  the  ship  "Dili- 
gence," of  Ipswich,  in  1638,  and  settled  at 
Hingham.  He  was  a  proprietor  in  1638.  He 
removed  to  West  Bridgewater,  where  the  first 
settlements  in  the  town  were  made.  He  was 
constable  in  1664,  and  licensed  to  keep  an 
ordinary,  or  tavern,  1670.  From  his  will,  pro- 
bated March  3,  1684-85,  it  appears  that  the 
Christian  name  of  his  wife  was  Elizabeth.  His 
children  were:  Elizabeth,  Samuel,  Zaccheus, 
Thomas,  John,  Nathaniel,  Mary,  Hannah,  Is- 
rael, Jael,  Deborah  and  Deliverance.  Of  the 
daughters,  Elizabeth  married  Thomas  Alger, 
of  Easton;  Mary  married  Richard  Phillips,  of 


682 


SOUTHEASTEEN"  MASSACHUSETTS 


Weymouth  ;  Hannah  married  Thomas  Randall ; 
Jael  married  John  Smith;  Deborah  married 
Samuel  Washburn;  Deliverance  married 
Thomas   Washburn. 

(II)  Zaccheus  Packard  married  Sarah, 
daughter  of  John  Howard,  and  their  children 
were:  Israel,  born  in  1680;  Sarah,  born  in 
1682;  Jonathan,  born  in  1684;  David,  born 
in  1687;  Solomon,  born  in  1689;  James,  born 
in  1691;  Zaccheus,  born  in  1693;  John,  born 
in  1695;  and  Abiel,  born  in  1699.  The  father 
died  in  1723.  The  daughter  Sarah  married 
in   1704  Capt.  Josiah  Edson. 

(III)  David  Packard,  son  of  Zaccheus,  bprn 
in  1687,  married  Hannah,  daughter  of  John 
Ames.  He  was  among  the  first  settlers  in  the 
North  parish,  which  later  became  North 
Bridgewater,  and  subsequently  changed  to 
Brockton.  He  lived  on  what  in  the  early  years 
of  the  nineteenth  century  was  the  Capt.  Robert 
Packard  place.  His  children  were :  David', 
born  in  1713;  William,  born  in  1715;  Han- 
nah, born  in  1718;  Isaac,  born  in  1720;  Mary, 
born  in  1722;  Ebenezer,  born  in  1724;  Abiah, 
born  in  1727;  Mehetabel,  born  in  1730;  and 
Jane,  born  in  1734.  The  father  died  in  1755, 
and  the  mother  passed  away  in  1767.  Of  the 
daughters,  Hannah  married  in  1737  Samuel 
Brett;  Mary  married  in  1740  Daniel  Richards; 
Mehetabel  married  in  1748  Simeon  Brett;  and 
Jane  married  in  1755  Matthew  Kingman. 

(IV)  William  Packard,  son  of  David,  born 
in  1715,  married  in  1740  Sarah,  daughter  of 
Benjamin  Richards.  Mr.  Packard  lived  to  be 
ninety  years  of  age,  dying  in  1805.  His  chil- 
dren were:  Amy,  born  in  1741;  Hannah,  born 
in  1743;  William,  born  in  1745;  Lemuel,  born 
in  1747;  Sarah,  born  in  1750;  Silvanus,  born 
in  1752;  Keziah,  born  in  1754;  and  Matilda. 
Of  the  daughters,  Amy  married  in  1764  Levi 
French;  Hannah  married  in  1765  Philip  Rey- 
nolds, and  afterward  in  1782  Enos  Thayer; 
Sarah  married  in  1769  Samuel  Sturtevant ; 
Keziah  married  a  Pierce ;  and  Matilda  married 
in  1783  Capt.  Zachariah  Gurney. 

(V)  William  Packard  (2),  son  of  William, 
born  in  1745,  man-ied  in  1769  Hannah,  daugh- 
ter of  Nathaniel  Reynolds,  and  their  children 
were:  Sihon,  born  in  1770;  Nancy,  born  in 
1772;  Eliphaz,  and  William.  The  mother  of 
these  died,  and  the  father  married  (second) 
in  1784  Mary  Wales,  by  whom  he  had  chil- 
dren :  Ambrose,  Cyrus,  Charles,  Hannah,  Polly, 
Matilda  and  Sarah.  Of  these  Eliphaz  removed 
to  Milton,  and  William  went  to  Stoughton. 

(VI)  Sihon  Packard,  son  of  William  (2), 
born  in  1770,  married  in  1794  Abigail  Scott, 
of  Dedham.    Their  children  were :  Betsey,  who 


died  unmarried;  Joseph  S. ;  Oren;  Sihon; 
Isaac ;  Washburn  ;  John ;  Nathaniel  R. ;  David ; 
and  Mary,  who  died  young.  Of  these  Oren 
married  in  1821  Sally  Skinner,  of  Mansfield; 
Isaac  married  Laura,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Bryant,  of  East  Bridgewater;  and  David  lived 
in  Boston. 

(VII)  Washburn  Packard,  son  of  Sihon, 
was  born  Dec.  26,  1805,  and  married  Jan.  15, 
1832,  Hannah  Packard,  daughter  of  Samuel 
Packard.  They  had  two  children,  namely : 
DeWitt  Clinton,  born  Sept.  22,  1834;  and 
Julia  Frances,  who  died  Oct.  8,  1844.  The 
mother  died  Oct.  9,  1850,  and  on  Jan.  3,  1852, 
Mr.  Packard  married  (second)  Phebe  Thomas 
Sherman,  daughter  of  Otis  Sherman,  of  Roch- 
ester, Mass.  Mr.  Packard  was  a  shoe  manu- 
facturer and  his  factory  was  situated  on  Pond 
street.  He  was  well  known  and  highly  re- 
spected in  Brockton,  where  he  died  Feb.  14, 
1881.     His  widow  died  Dec.  21,  1892. 

(VIII)  DeWitt  Clinton  Packard  received 
his  early  education  in  the  common  schools  and 
local  academies,  and  studied  out  of  school, 
reading  somewhat  of  the  classics,  Greek  and 
Roman,  and  taking  French  and  German  under 
native  teachers.  For  some  time  after  leaving 
school  he  worked  with  and  assisted  his  father 
in  the  latter's  business  of  shoe  manufacturing, 
and  then  became  a  school  teacher.  About  the 
year  1859  he  was  chosen  principal  of  the  acad- 
emy at  Plympton,  Mass.,  and  served  there  two 
years,  resigning  in  1861.  He  also  taught  in 
common  schools.  In  1862  he  reentered  the 
shoe  business,  in  which  he  continued  success- 
fully for  a  number  of  years.  In  1865,  form- 
ing a  copartnership  with  Oliver  F.  Leach, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Leach  &  Packard,  he 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes  for  the 
Southern  and  Western  trade.  This  partner- 
ship held  until  1871,  when  it  was  dissolved, 
and  Mr.  Packard  continued  alone,  manufactur- 
ing niainly  for.  the  New  England  trade,  until 
1879.  Then  this  business  was  gradually  aban- 
doned for  the  mortgage,  brokerage  and  real 
estate  line,  in  which  he  was  engaged  until  his 
election  as  city  clerk. 

Mr.  Packard  has  been  'prominent  in  town 
and  city  afPairs  for  many  years,  and  has  held 
numerous  local  positions.  From  1877  to  1888 
he  was  a  trustee  and  a  member  of  the  board 
for  the  management  of  the  public  library. 
From  1879  to  1883  he  was  a  member  of  the 
school  committee.  In  1880  he  was  a  member 
of  the  committee  of  citizens  chosen  to  prepare 
and  obtain  a  city  charter,  in  1881  was  chosen 
town  clerk,  and  in  1882  elected  city  clerk, 
which    position    he    has    held    continuously   to 


%^01l 


ejuv.(A^_^J 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


683 


the  present  time;  since  1875  he  has  held  a 
commission  as  justice  of  the  peace ;  in  1880 
he  was  a  United  States  census  enumerator;  in 
1884  he  was  appointed  by  the  governor  a  com- 
missioner to  qualify  civil  officers,  and  he  has 
been  an  examiner  under  the  Massachusetts 
civil  service  rules  since  their  adoption. 

Mr.  Packard  has  for  many  years  given  prac- 
tically all  his  time  to  lus  duties  as  city  clerk 
of  Brockton,  where  he  has  the  confidence  of  all 
classes,  regardless  of  political  color.  With  all 
the  work  involved  in  the  faithful  discharge  of 
his  responsibilities,  he  nevertheless  finds  time 
to  be  genial,  kindly  and  obliging,  and  he  never 
fails  to  give  his  services  willingly  wherever  he 
can  be  of  any  assistance,  particularly  in  any 
work  connected  with  his  branch  of  the  muni- 
cipal administration.  All  the  records  and 
statistics  of  the  city,  the  minutes  of  the  board 
of  aldermen,  and  numerous  other  important 
matters,  are  recorded  and  taken  care  of  in  his 
office,  and  the  fact  that  the  records  are  in 
most  excellent  shape  shows  that  Mr.  Packard 
has  kept  pace  with  the  increasing  demands  of 
his  work,  which  has  not  only  grown  in  a  ma- 
terial way  since  he  first  took  office,  but  which 
has  also  widened  in  scope  and  importance  to 
an  extent  unlooked-for  at  that  day.  The  sup- 
port his  fellow  citizens  gave  him  when  they 
held  him  over  from  the  town  to  the  city  govern- 
ment has  been  Justified  by  the  high  value  of 
his  services.  He  has  never  allowed  his  work 
to  become  a  mere  mechanical  performance  of 
duty,  but  has  shown  himself  progressive  and 
enterprising  in  his  conception  of  its  possibili- 
ties and  responsibilities,  and  his  work  has  been 
highly  appreciated.  To  his  "tireless  energies 
and  safe  and  wise  counsel,"  according  to  one 
executive,  the  city  owes  much  of  her  prog- 
ress and  integrity,  a  criticism  which  indicates 
the  personal  interest  Mr.  Packard  has  taken 
in  the  intelligent  administration  of  his  office, 
which  has  been  marked  by  courtesy,  faithful- 
ness and  efficiency  in  every  detail. 

Mr.  Packard  has  not  been  able  to  limit  his 
usefulness  and  knowledge  of  municipal  affairs 
strictly  to  his.  own  work,  as  during  his  many 
years  of  service  as  city  clerk  he  lias  acquired 
a  fund  of  information  regarding  allied  mat- 
ters which  makes  him  an  authority  consulted 
by  many  who  have  become  familiar  with  the 
extent  and  variety  of  his  knowledge.  More- 
over, his  reputation  has  extended  to  other  cities 
of  the  Commonwealth.  The  clerks  of  the  dif- 
ferent cities  meet  for  discussion  of  matters 
pertaining  to  tlicir  duties,  and  his  word  and 
suggestions  are  treated  with  the  most  respect- 
ful  consideration    in    such   gatherings.      Many 


citizens  and  even  lawyers  in  Brockton  ha.Ne 
consulted  him  on  important  questions  regard- 
ing municipal  affairs  and  certain  legal  prob- 
lems, and  the  highest  compliment  that  could 
be  paid  to  his  acquisitions  in  this  respect  is 
the  standing  of  those  who  regard  him  as  a 
reliable  authority.  He  has  a  record  almost 
unique. 

While  a  young  man,  or  rather  in  youth,  Mr. 
Packard  had  some  connection  with  the  news- 
paper press,  serving  as  a  reporter  on  the  North 
Bridgewater  Gazette,  and  also  occasionally  con- 
tributing to  the  Boston  Post,  Traveller,  Satur- 
day Evening  Gazette,  New  England  Farmer, 
and,  later,  the  Rural  New  Yorker. 

On  Jan.  5,  1865,  Mr.  Packard  was  married 
to  Clarissa  J.  Leach,  daughter  of  Oliver  and 
Susannah  (Howland)  Leach.  Mrs.  Packard 
is  a  woman  of  intelligence  and  executive  abil- 
ity, and  is  her  husband's  able  assistant  in  the 
city  clerk's  office.  They  have  had  two  chil- 
dren, Clinton  Francis  and  Clara  Washburn. 

(IX)    Clinton   Francis   Packard,  born   Sept. 

11,  1867,  in  Brockton,  received  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  public  and  high  schools  of  his 
native  place,  and  finished  his  schooling  at 
Wilbraham  Academy.  He  is  serving  as  as- 
sistant city  clerk  under  his  father.  On  Dec. 
25,  1887,  he  married  Annie  J.  Stewart,  and 
they  have  had  one  child,  Blanche  L.,  born  Sept. 
10,"  1890. 

(IX)  Clara  Washburn  Packard,  born  March 

12,  1872,  was  married  to  Frank  N.  Sherman, 
who  died  March  7,  1897.  She  died  May  33, 
1903.  They  had  three  children,  Marian  Nel- 
son, Mary  Wilbur  and  Carlton  Packard. 

LUTHER  (Fall  River  family).  For  three- 
quarters  of  a  century  and  more  there  has  lived 
in  and  been  prominent  in  the  commercial  life 
of  Fall  River  the  family  of  the  late  Samuel 
Martin  Luther,  where  father  and  .son,  respec- 
tively, have  figured  as  contractor  and  builder 
and  manufacturer;  the  son  being  the  present 
Charles  Bateman  Luther,  treasurer  of  the 
Luther  Manufacturing   Company. 

This  Warren  (R.  I.) -Fall  River  Luther  fam- 
ily is  a  branch  of  the  earlier  Swansea  family, 
whose  progenitor,  Capt.  John  Luther,  came  to 
the  shores  of  New  England  some  two  hundred 
and  seventy-five  years  ago. 

(I)  The  name  of  John  Luther  appears  the 
twenty-seventh  on  the  list  of  the  forty-six 
ancient  or  original  purchasers  of  Taunton, 
1638.  Nothing  definite  seems  to  have  been  set 
forth  by  the  writers  of  the  early  comers  to 
New  England  of  Mr.  Luther.  A  captain  of  a 
vessel   trading  to   Delaware,  from   Boston,   of 


684                                      SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 

this  name  in  1644  was  killed  by  the  Indians  first  pastor  as  well  as  in  his  broadly  catholic 
in  that  river  [see  Winthrop  II,  203,  237].  spirit.  "The  Congregational  element  found 
The  General  Court  decreed  22d  of  May,  1646,  the  ne\Y  minister  less  ready  to  grant  the  same 
that  the  widow  Luther  should  have  the  balance  liberal  privileges  as  to  church  fellowship,  in- 
of  her  husband's  wages  according  to  sea  cus-  fant  baptism,  etc.  The  new  version  of  Bap- 
tom,  after  allowing  to  the  merchants  what  tism  and  Christian  Communion,  as  given  by 
they  had  paid  for  the  redemption  of  her  son.  Elder  Ijuther,  was  not  acceptable  to  the  Pedo- 
On  Oct.  19,  1672,  Samuel  Luther,  son  of  John,  baptists  of  the  town,  and,  whether  intended  or 
made  a  demand  for  his  father's  purchase  rights  not,  helped  to  established  the  dividing  line  of 
of  the  to\vn.  In  November  following  James  denominationalism  between  the  hitherto  united 
Walker  made  reply  to  this  demand  in  sub-  parties."  These  changes  in  the  church 
stance  that  he  or  his  predecessors  had  enjoyed  covenant  with  reference  to  baptism  and  com- 
the  rights  for  thirty  years,  had  paid  all  charges,  munion  instituted  by  Elder  Luther  which  de- 
etc,  and  that  Samuel  Luther  had  no  claim  to  stroyed  the  fellowship  between  Anabaptists  and 
it.  From  a  branch  of  the  Warren  Peck-Luther  Pedobaptists  enjoyed  by  Mr.  Myles  and  his 
family  comes  the  information  that  Capt.  John  associates,  and  made  the  church  distinctly 
Luther  came  to  Boston  in  one  of  two  Dutch  Baptist,  this  change  so  distasteful  to  the  Con- 
vessels  that  arrived  there  in  1635  bringing  a  gregationalists,  opened  a  religious  controversy 
number  of  Flemish  mares,  cattle  and  some  which  twenty-five  years  later  split  Swansea,  on 
passengers;  that  Mr.  Luther  was  a  native  of  sectarian  lines,  into  two  townships. 
Germany  and  a  direct  descendant  of  the  The  children  of  Elder  Samuel  Luther  and 
mother  of  the  great  Martin  Luther  (she  was  his  wife  Mary  were:  Samuel,  born  Oct.  25, 
formerly  Margaret  Lindeman,  and  married  1663;  Theophilus,  born  Oct.  9,  1665;  Mary, 
John  Luther,  and  the  birthplace  of  Martin  born  July  80,  1668;  Joshua,  born  Nov..  25, 
Luther  was  Eisleben,  Saxony,  1483);  that  in  1670;  Elizabeth,  born  Feb.  2,  1672;  Experi- 
1637  he  became  associated  with  Elizabeth's  ence,  born  March  3,  1674;  Mehetabel,  bom 
company  in  the  purchase  of  Taunton;  that  in  Aug.  26,  1676;  Ebenezer,  born  Dec.  27,  1678; 
1644  a  charter  was  granted  to  certain  mer-  Martha,  born  Dee.  9,  1681;  Susanna;  Joanna, 
chants  of  Boston  authorizing  them  to  trade  (III)  Samuel  Luther  (2),  son  of  Elder 
with  a  colony  of  Dutch  and  Swedes  on  Dela-  Samuel,  born  Oct.  25,  1663,  married  Sarah 
ware  bay;  that  John  Luther  was  sent  as  super-  Chaffee.  Mr.  Luther  went  on  the  expedition 
intendent  of  the  ship  and  interpreter,  while  in  1690  against  Quebec,  under  Phipps.  The 
William  Aspinwall  went  to  prosecute  the  trade ;  children  of  Samuel  and  Sarah,  all  born  in 
that  a  few  years  after,  1658,  he  joined  with  Swansea,  were:  Samuel,  born  Nov.  20,  1689; 
Thomas  Willett  and  otliers  in  the  purchase  of  Caleb,  born  in  1692 ;  James,  born  March  8, 
Attleboro,  but  he  soon  sold  his  interest  to  Bos-  1693  ;  Benjamin  ;  Consider  ;  Elizabeth,  born 
ton  parties,  and  in  1667  joined  with  Willett  June  22,  1702;  Eleflzer,  born  Feb.  28,  1704; 
and  others  in  the  purchase  of  Swansea,  where  Jabez ;  and  Sarah,  born  Dec.  25,  1707. 
he   took   up   his   permanent   residencje.  (IV)    Caleb    Luther,    son    of    Samuel    (2), 

Mr.   Luther   is  made  the  father  of   Samuel  born  in   1692,   married   Mary  Cole,  of   Swan- 

and  Hezekiah  Luther,  of  Swansea,  Mass.,  who  sea,   and  their   children   were:    Freelove,   born 

according  to  the  source  mentioned  above  were  Jan.  15,  1715;  Susanna,  born  Aug.  20,  1717; 

born,  Samuel   (in  Yocumtown),  in  1638,  and  Hannah,  born   Sept.    22,    1720;    Caleb,    t)Orn 

Hezekiah,  in  1640.  April  22,  1723;  Jabez,  born    July    8,    15;25; 

(II)    (Elder)    Samuel  Luther,  son  of  Capt.  Samuel,   born    in    1727;    and    Frederick,   born 

John,   bom   in   1638   in   Yocumtown,  married  Feb.  15,  1730. 

Mary.  Captain  Luther,  as  he  was  at  one  time  (V)  Frederick  Luther,  son  of  Caleb,  bom 
styled,  was  one  of  the  most  influential  towns-  Feb.  15,  1730,  married  Feb.  16,  175J,  in 
men  of  Swansea.  He  was  deputy  from  Swan-  Swansea,  Joanna  Luther,  and  their  children, 
sea  to  the  General  Court  of  Plymouth  Colony  the  first  five  born  in  Swahsea,  Mass.,  and  the 
in  1677,  1678  and  1679,  and  his  brother  others  in  Warren,  R.  1.,  were:  Freelove,  born 
Hezekiah  was  representative  from  Swansea  to  Sept.  26,  1752 ;  Lydia,  born  July  31,  1754 ; 
the  Great  and  General  Court  of  Massachu-  Hannah,  born  Dec.  10,  1756;  Saraji,  born  Dec. 
setts  Bay  Colony  in  1706.  Rev.  John  Myles,  7,  1758;  Martin,  born  April  19,  1761;  Fred- 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Swansea,  died  erick,  born  June  8,  1763 ;  Rejiecca,  born  April 
in  February,  1683,  and  Elder  Samuel  Luther  17,  1765;  and  Samuel,  bom  April  11,  1768. 
became  his  successor  in  1685.  Luther,  it  is  The  father  was  a  farmfer  and  )ived  and  died 
said,  was  wanting   in  the  scholarship  of  the  in  Warren,  R.  I.,  reaching  advanced  age. 


'/,J£.^^ 


Uniji  In,  BUmai  i  Sm^.VeuTTT-h 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


685 


(VI)  Samuel  Luther  (3),  son  of  Frederick, 
born  April  H,  1768,  in  Warren,  R.  I.,  mar- 
ried Abigail  Beers,  and  located  in  the  towTi  of 
Swansea,  Mass.,  where  he  was  occupied  in 
farming  and  as  a  carpenter.  He  died  in  Fall 
River,  Mass.,  in  1843,  and  his  widow  Abigail 
passed  away  in  1858  or  1859.  Their  children 
were :  Rebecca  married  James  Bowen ;  Polly 
married  Willard  Barney;  Abbey  married  James 
Richards;  Daniel  B-  was  a  seafaring  man; 
Priscjlla  married  John  Bushee;  Samuel  M.; 
and  Nancy  married  John  Baker. 

(VII)  Samuel  Jfartin  Luther,  son  of  Sam- 
uel and  Abigail  (Beers)  Luther,  was  bom 
Nov.  15,  1806,  in  Swansea,  Mass.  He  was 
reared  on  his  father's  farm,  having  such  school 
privileges  as  it  was  in  those  days  the  custom 
to  give  farmers'  sons — attendance  at  the  neigh- 
borhood school  in  the  winters — and  working  in 
season  on  the  farm.  Quitting  the  farm  before 
he  was  of  age,  he  went  to  Providence,  R.  I., 
where  he  commenced  to  3earn  the  mason's 
trade.  But  he  was  dissatisfied,  and  in  1836 
went  to  Fall  River,  where  he  served  an  ap- 
prenticeship of  three  years  at  the  mason's 
trade  under  Mr.  John  Phinney,  one  of  the 
contractors  ^nd  builders  of  that  day  in  the 
town.  He  continued  to  work  for  this  employer 
after  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  his  ap- 
prenticeship as  a  journeyman  workman  until 
the  year  1831.  In  the  last  named  year  he  be- 
gan the  business  of  contracting  and  building 
on  his  own  account,  an  occupation  he  con- 
tinued in,  and  most  successfully,  throughout 
the  rest  of  his  active  business  life.  After  be- 
ginning for  himself  the  first  work  of  any  con- 
siderable size  that  he  did  was  the  building  of 
the  substantial  edifice  of  the  Congregational 
Church  still  standing  on  North  Main  street. 
Fall  River.  And  many  are  the  substantial 
buildings  in  and  about  Fall  River  of  to-day 
that  stand  as  monuments  to  his  skill  and 
workmanship.  A  practical  mechanic  himself, 
he  knew  how  a  building  should  go  up  and 
saw  to  it  that  it  was  constructed  well. 

Beginning  life  a  poor  boy,  Mr.  Luther 
through  his  own  efforts  and  force  of  character 
rose  to  position  and  wealth.  Besides  looking 
after  the  business  in  which  he  made  his  prin- 
cipal reputation,  he  became  interested  in  and 
a  director  of  a  number  of  Fall  River  enter- 
prises, among  them  the  Rotieson  Mills. 

Mr.  Luther  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife, 
Abby  M.  BoswQrth,  of  liy^^ren,  R.  I.,  born 
Feb.  21,  1809,  4yiDg  May  11,  1854.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  Nov.  18,  1857,  Harriet,  born 
July  8,  1817,  in  Newport,  R.  I.,  daughter  of 
William    and    Susanna     (Spencer)     Bateman. 


Three  of  his  four  children  were  born  to  the 
first  marriage  and  died  when  young;  the 
fourth,  born  to  the  second  marriage,  is  the 
present  Charles  Bateman  Luther,  of  Fall  River. 
Samuel  Martin  Luther  died  May  14,  1887. 
Mrs.  Luther  died  Feb.  21,  1892. 

(VIII)  Charles  Bateman  Lutheh,  born 
in  Fall  River  Nov.  15,  1860,  received  his  early 
education  there  in  the  public  schools.  Gradu- 
ating from  the  high  school  in  1879,  he  entered 
Brown  University,  from  which  institution  he 
was  graduated  in  1883,  with  the  degree  of 
Ph.  B.  He  was  a  member  of  the  D.  K.  E. 
fraternity.  Following  his  school  life  Mr. 
Luther  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Edison  Elec- 
tric Illuminating  Company  at  Fall  River  un- 
til September,  1887,  after  which  he  was  out  of 
business  for  a  number  of  years.  He  became 
president  of  the  Robeson  Mills  upon  the  death 
of  Lloyd  S.  Earle  in  August,  1895,  and  con- 
tinued as  such  nntil  1903;  he  was  treasurer 
pro  tem  from  March,  1898,  to  January,  1899. 
In  1903  he  started  the  Luther  Manufacturing 
Company,  named  for  his  father,  and  organized 
for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  the  property  of 
the  Robeson  Mills  and  enlarging  and  develop- 
ing same  by  the  addition  of  new  buildings  and 
machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  a  higher 
grade  of  cloth.  Mr.  Luther  organized  this  com- 
pany and  became  treasurer  thereof,  which  posi- 
tion he  has  since  held;  Mr.  Leontine  Lincoln 
is  president  of  the  company  and  Mr.  John  H. 
Estes  vice  president.  Under  the  financial  guid- 
ance of  Mr.  Luther  the  plant  has  been  most 
successful  and  its  product  has  attained  a  high 
reputation.  In  addition  to  his  connection  with 
this  concern  he  is  interested  in  the  Stafford 
and  Flint  Mills,  being  president  and  a  direc- 
tor of  the  first  named  and  a  director  of  the 
latter.  He  is  vice  president  and  director  of 
the  new  Charlton  Mills.  He  is  a  man  of 
broad  capabilities,  as  he  has  proved  in  the 
management  and  wisely  planned  development 
of  his  properties,  and  ranks  well  among  mill 
interests  for  the  skill  he  has  displayed  in  their 
promotion  and  evolution. 

Mr.  Luther  married  Lottie  H.  Robinson, 
daughter  of  John  H.  and  Charlotte  (Brownell) 
Robinson,  of  Fall  River.  They  have  no  chil- 
dren. Mr.  Luther  is  a  member  of  the  Que- 
quechan  Club  of  Fall  River,  Squantum  Club  of 
Providence,  Fall  River  Cotton  Manufacturers' 
Association  and  the  Rhode  Island  Country 
Club. 

ELWIN  T.  WRIGHT,  one  of  Rockland's 
leading  business  men  and  well-known  shoe 
manufacturers,   is   the   treasurer   of   the   shoe 


686 


SOUTHEASTERX  MASSACHUSETTS 


manufacturing  corporation  of  E.  T.  Wright  & 
Co.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of  Plympton, 
Plymouth  Co.,  Mass.,  Nov.  6,  1852,  and  is  a 
descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  the 
old    Plymouth   Colony. 

(I)  William  Wright,  the  first  of  the  name  in 
America,  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  William 
who  was  baptized  at  Austerfield,  England,  in 
1588,  and  came  in  the  ship  "Fortune,"  in  1621, 
with  his  wife  Priscilla,  who  was  the  daughter 
of  Alexander  Carpenter,  and  son  Richard. 

(II)  Richard  Wright,  son  of  William,  born 
about  1607,  died  in  Plymouth,  Mass.,  June  9, 
1691.  In  1644  he  married  Hester  Cook,  and 
they  had  children,  Adam,  Esther,  Mary,  Jolm 
and  Isaac. 

(III)  Adam  Wright,  son  of  Richard,  born 
about  1644,  died  Sept.  20,  1724.  He  was  twice 
married,  marrying  (first)  Sarali  Soule,  daugh- 
ter of  Jolm  Soule,  of  Duxbury,  and  grand- 
daughter of  George  Soule,  of  the  "Mayflower."' 
They  had  two  children,  John  and  Isaac.  He 
married  (second)  Mehitable  Barrows,  and  they 
had  children :  Samuel ;  Moses ;  James ; 
Nathan;  Esther,  who  married  Daniel  Pratt; 
Sarah,  who  married  Seth  Fuller;  Mary,  who 
married  Jeremiah  Giflford ;  and  Rachel,  who 
married  Ebenezer  Barlow.  Adam  Wright  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town  of  Plympton, 
Massachusetts. 

(IV)  Moses  Wright,  son  of  Adam  and  Me- 
hitable (Barrows)  Wright,  was  born  in 
Plympton,  Mass.  He  married  Thankful  Bowles, 
of  that  town. 

(V)  Ebenezer  Wright,  son  of  Moses,  born  in 
the  town  of  Plympton,  where  he  made  his 
home,  was  married  to  Deliverance  Churchill, 
of  Plympton,  where  his  death  occurred. 

(VI)  Zebedee  Wright,  grandfather  of  Elvin 
T.  and  son  of  Ebenezer,  was  born  in  the  town 
of  Plympton  in  1785.  He  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation  and  made  his  home  in  Plympton 
during  his  active  life.  The  last  years  of  his 
life  were  passed  with  his  son  Lorenzo,  in  East 
Abington  (now  the  town  of  Rockland),  with 
whom  he  died  Dec.  7,  1865.  Zebedee  Wright 
was  married  to  Rhoda  Ganmions,  a  native  of 
Middleboro,  Mass.,  who  died  in  Aiigust,  1850, 
in  Plympton,  and  they  were  both  buried  in 
Plympton.  The  children  born  to  this  union 
were:  Annie,  who  married  Elisha  Vaughn,  and 
became  the  grandmother  of  ex-Gox.  William 
L.  Douglas,  of  Brockton;  Isaiah,  who  married 
Elizabeth  Brigdon,  of  Middleboro;  Rufus,  who 
married  Zerviah  Ripley,  of  Plympton ;  Rich- 
ard, who  married  Azubah  Tillson,  of  Middle- 
boro; Peris,  who  died  at  sea;  Adeline  Crocker, 
who  married   (first)   Levi  Churchill  and   (sec- 


ond) Rufus  Curtis;  Rhoda,  who  married  Chip- 
man  Ripley,  and  resided  in  Whitman,  Mass. ;. 
Ebenezer,  who  married  Fannie  Vickery ;  Cyrus, 
who  married  Sarah  Cody;  John  Gammons,  who 
marrie'd  Hulda  Vickery,  of  Plympton;  Row- 
land Allen,  who  married  Sarah  P.  Wright;  Lo- 
renzo, mentioned  below;  Rebecca  Ganunons, 
who  married  Nathaniel  Billings,  of  Plympton; 
Mary  Jane,  who  died  aged  five  years;  and 
Julia  Keith,  who  died  aged  two  years.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wright  were  members  of  the  Con- 
,iegational  Church. 

(VII)  Lorenzo  Wright,  son  of  Zebedee 
Wright,  was  born  July  27,  1825,  on  the  home- 
stead in  the  to\^^l  of  Plympton,  and  there  at- 
tended the  district  school.  At  an  early  age  he 
started  to  learn  the  boot  and  shoe  trade  and 
while  still  in  his  teens  went  to  Chelsea,  Mass., 
where  he  found  employment  at  his  trade.  Here 
he  continued  for  some  time,  where  his  mar- 
riage occurred,  and  a  year  or  so  later  returned 
to  his  native  town  of  Plympton  and  worked  at 
his  trade  for  a  short  period.  Later  he  moved 
to  South  Braintree,  Mass.,  and  from  there  to 
East  Abingtim,  now  the  town  of  Rockland, 
where  he  engaged  at  the  shoemaking  trade 
also.  He  was  for  a  time  engaged  with  his  son 
Elwin  T.,  in  the  manufacturing  of  shoes,  and 
later  worked  for  his  son  in  the  sole  leather 
department  of  his  factory.  In  1900  he  retired 
from  active  business  and  is  now  making  his 
home  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  John  G.  Owens,, 
in  Rockland,  still  active  and  in  good  physical 
health.  He  is  a  stanch  Democrat  of  the  old 
school,  a  member  of  the  Union  Glee  Club  of 
Rockland,  and  is  identified  with  the  Unitarian 
Church. 

Lorenzo  Wright  was  married  in  Chelsea,, 
Mass.,  to  Catharine  O'Connell,  who  died  in 
Rockland  April  18,  1888,  and  is  buried  in 
Mount  Pleasant  cemetery.  Their  children  were : 
Loring  L.,  who  resides  in  Rockland ;  Leman, 
who  died  in  infancy ;  Elvrin  T.,  mentioned  be- 
low; Emma  W.,  who  married  Jeremiah  Rior- 
don,  and  has  one  child,  Helen  K. ;  Esther  Ann, 
born  Sept.  9,  1859,  who  died  Oct.  1,  1859; 
Juanita,  who  married  George  Harrington; 
Julia  Anna,  born  March  21,  1864,  who  mar- 
ried John  G.  Owens,  and  resides  in  Rockland ; 
and  William  Preston,  bom  Sept.  23,  1866,  who- 
resides  in  North  Abington,  Massachusetts. 

(VIII)  Elwin  T.  Wright  was  educated  in 
East  Abington,  now  the  to\vn  of  Rockland.  In 
early  boyhood  he  learned  the  trade  of  his  father, 
and  in  1876  he  started  in  the  shoe  business 
for  himself.  His  first  factory  was  a  bam 
where  he  and  his  father  with  the  assistance- 
of  his  wife  began  the  manufacturing  of  shoes,. 


SOUTHEASTEEN  MASSACHUSETTS 


Gsr 


and  this  was  the  foundation  of  tlie  wen-kno\vn 
firm  of  E.  T.  Wright  &  Co.  of  to-day.  Mr. 
Wright  and  his  father  continued  in  business 
for  a  short  time,  and  in  1879  Mr.  Wright  took 
into  partnership  liis  father-in-law,  Charles 
Grose,  of  Scituate,  they  beginning  the  manu- 
facture of  shoes  on  the  site  of  the  present  plant, 
the  firm  being  known  as  E.  T.  Wright  &  Co. 
This  partnersiiip  continued  until  1885,  when 
it  was  dissolved  and  Mr.  Wright  took  in  as 
partner  Charles  Richards,  the  firm' then  bec:om- 
ing  Wright  &  Richards,  and  this  partnership 
continued  for  eight  years.  In  the  year  1893 
this  partnership  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Wright  con- 
ducting it  alone  until  1896,  when  Alfred  W. 
Donovan  was  taken  in  as  partner  and  the  busi- 
ness was  carried  on  under  the  old  firm  name  of 
E.  T.  Wright  &  Co.  In  1906  it  was  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts with  Alfred  W.  Donovan  as  president 
and  Elwin  T.  Wright  as  treasurer  under  the 
name  of  E.  T.  Wright  &  Co.,  Inc.  Many  addi- 
tions have  been  made  to  the  factory  from  time 
to  time  and  it  is  one  of  the  best  equipped  fac- 
tory establishments  in  the  Bay  State,  employing 
about  650  hands,  and  manufacturing  about 
three  thousand  pairs  of  shoes  per  day,  doing  a 
business  of  upward  of  two  millions  of  dollars 
per  year.  The  product,  knowTi  as  the  "Just 
Wright"  shoe,  is  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the 
United  States,  Hawaiian  Islands,  Canada,  and 
other  parts  of  the  world.  The  concern  has 
offices  at  Boston,  New  York,  Pittsburg,  Phila- 
delphia, San  Francisco,  Lynchburg  (Va.)  and 
also  in  London,  England. 

Mr.  Wright  is  a  man  of  enterprise  and  pro- 
gressive ideas.  He  is  kind  and  generous  and 
takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  people  who  -are  in 
his  employ.  A  thorough  business  man,  thrifty 
and  mdustrious,  he  is  an  excellent  citizen,  and, 
though  not  an  office-seeker,  is  much  interested 
in  the  welfare  of  his  community.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Commercial  Club,  of  Rockland,  hav- 
ing been  at  one  time  its  president;  a  member 
of  the  New  England  Shoe  &  Leather  Associa- 
tion ;  the  Trade  Club  of  Boston ;  member  of 
Standish  Lo<lge,  I.  0.  0.  F. ;  past  grand  master 
of  the  Lodge  and  member  of  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  State ;  member  of  Abadour  Lodge,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.,  of  Boston ;  Pilgrim  Royal  Arch  Chapter, 
and  Old  Colony  Commandery;  Knights  Tem- 
plar, of  Abmgton  ;  the  Massachusetts  Consistory 
(thirty-second  degree,  of  Boston),  and  Aleppo 
Temple,  Order  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  of  Bos- 
ton. He  is  also  member  of  the  Union  Glee 
Club,  of  Rockland. 

On  Jan.  27,  1873,  Mr.  Wright  married  Mary 
F.,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Mary  A.  Grose,  of 


Scituate,  Mass.  Mrs.  Wright  has  proved  her- 
self a  willing  helpmate,  having  assisted  her 
husband  in  his  early  struggles,  and  much  of  his 
successful  life  is  due  to  her  assistance  and  en- 
couragement. Three  children  were  bom  to  this 
union:  Charles  Irving,  born  May  26,  1876,  who 
is  a  lawyer  and  resides  in  Pa^^adena,  Cal.,  mar- 
ried Edith  McFadden,  and  has  one  child,  Kath- 
arine, born  Jan.  28,  1907;  Annie  May,  born 
Nov.  28,  1879,  married  James  Albert  Monroe, 
who  is  vice-president  of  E.  T.  Wright  &  Co., 
and  they  reside  in  Brookline,  Mass.;  Janet 
Ansel,  born  May  2,  1891,  married  Louis  F 
Wright,  of  Brockton,  Mass.,  and  they  have  one 
;>on,  Louis  Elwin  Wright,  born  Sept.  17,  1910. 

CUMMINGS  (New  Bedford  family).  The 
name  Cummings,  variously  spelled,  is  of  com- 
mon occurrence  in  Great  Britain.  It  appears 
early  in  France,  often  written  Coymus.  A 
Robert  Cumine  was  made  Earl  of  Northumber- 
land in  the  third  year  of  William  the  Con- 
queror. A  William  Cumin  was  Lord  Chan- 
cellor of  Scotland  in  the  time  of  King  David, 
1124.  And  many  more  influential  houses  in 
the  old  country  were  of  this  name. 

Perhaps  some  twenty  years  after  the  com- 
ing to  this  country  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers 
there  came  hither  one  (I)  Isaac  Cumings,  tlie 
tradition  being  that  he  came  either  from  Scot- 
land or  was  of  Scottish  descent.  He  was  of 
Ipswich  and  made  a  freeman  in  1642,  and 
later  of  Topsfield.  From  him  has  descended 
a  family  now  numerous  both  in  New  England 
and  throughout  the  country.  Of  his  wife  noth- 
ing is  known  except  that  she  preceded  him  in 
death.  He  left  four  children :  John,  born,  in 
1630;  Isaac,  born  in  1633;  Elizabeth,  and 
Ann. 

For  generations  the  old  town  of  Dartmouth, 
this  Commonwealth,  has  been  the  home  of  one 
branch  of  the  New  England  stock  of  Cum- 
mingses,  and  New  Bedford  for  half  a  cen- 
tury has  been  the  home  of  .what  we  might 
have  more  properly  in  point  of  designation 
called  the  Dartmouth-New  Bedford  family. 

Among  the  representatives  of  the  branch 
just  named  was  Benjamin  Cummings,  the 
elder,  several  of  whose  sons,  among  them  Wil- 
liam, John  and  Benjamin,  were  merchants  of 
Dartmouth,  conducting  there  an  extensive 
store  and  successful  business.  It  was  with  the 
family  in  particular  of  the  youngest  of  these 
three  brothers — the  late  Benjamin  Cummings, 
Esq.,  of  New  Bedford — that  this  article  is  to 
deal,  Mr.  Cummings  himself  becoming  one  of 
the  most  active  and  extensive  business  men  of 
his  adopted  city.    He  left  a  son  to  perpetuate 


688 


SOUTHEASTERX  MASSACHUSETTS 


the  family  name,  the  late  Charles  S.  Cum- 
mings  of  tlie  same  city,  who  worthily  wore  it 
and  sustained  the  family  reputation,  now  up- 
held by  his  nephew  and  successor,  Benjamin 
Cumraings. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  state  that  among 
some  of  the  worthies  of  the  New  England 
Cummingses,  some  who  have  achieved  more 
than  an  ordinary  or  local  fame,  are :  Maria 
Susanna  Cummins,  the  author,  a  native  of 
Salem,  Mass.,  one  of  whose  works,  "The  Lamp- 
lighter," published  when  she  was  twenty-seven, 
was  instantly  popular,  over  forty  thousand  cop- 
ies being  sold  within  two  months,  and  when 
republished  in  England  was  received  with  even 
greater  approbation,  the  sale  reacliing  upward 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  copies. 
.Of  this  book  said  a  writer :  "The  work  is  one 
of  the  noted  successes  in  American  fiction,  be- 
ing exceeded  only  by  novels  like  'Ben  Hur' 
and  'Uncle  Tom's  Cabin.'  Had  Miss  Cum- 
mins written  nothing  else  she  had  earned  the 
title  of  fame."  Revs.  William  and  Moses  Cum- 
mings,  father  and  son,  were  pious  clergymen 
of  the  Christian  sect,  the  former  being  the 
founder  of  his  church  in  New  England  and  the 
latter  the  editor  of  the  "Christian  Herald  and 
Messenger"  and  the  "Palladium."  It  was  the 
latter's  son,  the  Hon.  Amos  Jay  Cummings,  a 
gallant  soldier  of  the  Civil  war,  who  later  won 
national  reputation  as  a  newspaper  correspon- 
dent, was  president  of  the  New  York  Press 
Club,  represented  the  Wall  street  Congressional 
district  in  the  Fiftieth  United  States  Congress 
and  later  succeeded  the  late  Hon.  S.  S.  Cox 
in  the  Ninth  New  York  district.  And  an- 
other of  the  literary  New  England  Cum- 
mingses following  the  learned  professions  was 
Eev.  Joseph  Cummings,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  educator 
and  clergyman  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  for 
years  president  of  the  Wesleyan  University  and 
subsequently  of  the  Northwestern  University 
at   Kvanston,   Illinois. 

(II)  Deacon  Isaac  Cummings,  son  of  Isaac 
of  Ipswich  and  Topsfield,  born  in  1633,  mar- 
ried Nov.  27,  1659.  Mary,  daughter  of  Robert 
and  Grace  Andrews.  He  resided  in  Topsfield, 
and  was  elected  deacon  of  the  church  June  13, 
1686.  He  was  an  influential  man  of  the  town, 
and  served  as  selectman,  treasurer,  constable 
and  tithingman.  He  was  made  a  freeman  in 
1673,  and  in  1675  was  impressed  for  the  Nar- 
ragansett  expedition.  He  died  in  1731.  His 
children  were:  Isaac,  born  Sept.  15,  1664; 
John,  June  7,  1666;  Thomas,  June  27,  1670; 
Mary,  Feb.  16,  167—;  Rebecca.  April  1,  1674; 
Abigail ;  and  three  sons  that  died  in  infancy. 

(III)  John  Cummings,  son  of  Deacon  Isaac, 


born  in  Topsfield  June  7,  1666,  was  quite  a 
large  landholder  in  his  native  town.  He  mar- 
ried Jan.  23,  1688,  Susannah,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Phebe'  (Perkins)  Towne.  She  was 
born  Dec.  24,  1670,  and  died  Sept.  13,  1766. 
The  children  born  of  this  union  were :  Joseph, 
baptized  Jan.  26,  1689-90 ;  John,  baptized 
July  17,  1692;  Isaac,  born  Dec.  25,  1695; 
David,  born  April  15,  1698;  Mai-y,  born  May 
15,  1700;  Susannah,  born  Jan.  3,  1701-02; 
Stebbins,  born  Aug.  3,  1706;  Samuel,  born 
Feb.  14,  1708-09;  and  Rebecca,  baptized  Nov. 
1,   1713. 

(IV)  John  Cummings,  son  of  John,  bap- 
tized in  Topsfield  July  17,  1692,  married  (in- 
tentions published)  Feb.  18,  1715,  Mary, 
daughter  of  Isaac  and  Martha  (Towne)  Larra- 
bee,  of  Lynn,  Mass.  He  was  a  shoemaker  by 
trade.  In  1727  he  removed  to  Southboro, 
Mass.,  where  he  bought  a  farm  from  John 
Howe.  In  his  will  he  mentions  his  son  John 
"if  he  shall  ever  return  from  His  Majesty's 
service."  He  died  Feb.  29,  1756.  His  chil- 
dren were:  John,  bom  April  19,  1717;  Han- 
nah, Nov.  6,  1718;  Mercy,  Oct.  26,  1720;  Ben- 
jamin, Sept.  12,  1723  (died  Nov.  27,  1731); 
Reuben,  Jan.  29,  1726;  Sarah.  May  30,  1729; 
Benjamin,  Oct.  7,  1731 ;  and  Joseph,  Feb.  5, 
173.3. 

(V)  Joseph  Cummings,  son  of  John,  born 
Feb.  5,  1733,  in  Middletown,  married  Sept.  11, 
1753,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Andrew  Allard, 
of  Framinghara,  and  lived  in  Southboro,  Mass. 
In  1767  he  made  an  exchange  with  David 
Goddard,  giving  his  farm  in  Southboro  for  a 
farm  in  Athol.  He  served  as  corporal  in  Captain 
Dexter's  company  at  Lexington ;  he  was  also 
at  Bunker  Hill,  and  in  1777  marched  against 
the  forces  of  Burgoyne.  He  was  elected  to 
office  in  his  town,  which  he  served  many  years. 
He  died  Feb.  25,  1818,  in  Phillipston,  Mass. 
His  children  were :  Joseph,  born  in  Southboro, 
Oct.  13,  1754,  a  Revolutionary  soldier;  Eliza- 
beth, born  in  Southboro  Feb.  8,  1757;  John, 
born  in  Southboro  Aug.  13,  1759,  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier;  Benjamin,  bom  in  Southboro 
Feb.  8,  1764;  Stephen,  born  in  Southboro  May 
8,  1766;  Daniel,  born  in  Athol  May' 20,  1768, 
who  died  young;  Nathan,  horn  in  Athol  April 
8,  1771;  Samuel,  born  in  Athol  Feb.  2,  1773; 
Susy,  born  in  Athol  Jan.  7,  1778;  and  Daniel, 
born  in  Athol  Jan.  27,  1781. 

(VI)  Benjamin  Cummings,  son  of  Joseph, 
born  in  Southboro  Feb.  8,  1764,  married  Jan. 
10,  1780,  Mehitable  Rider.  He  was  a  sea  cap- 
tain and  was  known  as  Capt.  Benjamin.  His 
children  were:  Rebecka,  born  Oct.  22,  1781, 
who   married   Joseph     Smith    and    moved    to 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


689 


White  Creek,  N.  Y.;  William,  born  Dec.  21, 
1783,  who  died  unmarried;  Rutli,  born  Nov. 
4,  1785;  Elizabeth,  born  Mav  20,  1788,  who 
died  Feb.  15,  1812;  Nancy^  born  May  23, 
1790,  who  married  Charles  Smith;  Mehitable, 
born  Nov.  30,  1792,  who  died  unmarried;  John, 
born  Feb.  13,  1795,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Olds;  Benjamin,  born  April  7,  1797;  and 
Sally,  born  June  5,  1799. 

(VII)  Benjamin  Cdaimings,  son  of  Ben- 
jamin, born  April  7,  1797,  in  the  town  of 
Dartmouth,  Mass.,  was  in  his  early  years  un- 
til soon  after  his  marriage  associated  with  his 
•older  brothers,  William  and  John  Cummings, 
in  the  conduct  of  an  extensive  store  in  Dart- 
mouth, doing  a  successful  business.  Soon  after 
his  marriage  he  left  the  store  and  devoted  his 
attention  to  his  farm  and  the  many  business 
interests  connected  with  it.  There  was  upon 
it  a  valuable  water  power  which  was  used  for 
a  sawmill,  grist  mill  and  fulling  mill,  all  of 
■which  called  for  his  attention,  and  all  of  which 
lie  successfully  managed.  At  that  time  the 
whaling  business  flourished  greatly,  and  it 
naturally  attracted  him,  and  he  soon  began  to 
invest  in  whaling  vessels.  He  found  interest 
and  profit  in  this  and  increased  his  investments 
until  he  was  part  owner  in  a  large  number  of 
whalers,  one  of  which  was  named  for  him,  and 
bore  as  a  figureliead  a  full-length  likeness  of 
him  carved  in  wood,  which  was  thought  singu- 
larly true  to  life.  He  also  invested  largely  in 
Teal  estate  in  New  Bedford,  and  the  accuracy 
of  his  judgment  has  been  indicated'  in  the 
■development  of  the  city. 

In  1857  he  erected  the  Cummings  building 
■on  the  corner  of  Williams  and  Purchase  streets, 
in  which  enterprise  his  brother  William  joined. 
At  that  time  the  building  was  the  largest  and 
finest  in  the  city,  and  the  wisdom  of  it  from 
a  financial  standpoint  was  doubted  by  many, 
but  the  result  proved  his  judgment  correct, 
and  his  building  did  much  to  fix  the  business 
■center  of  the  city.  He  had  moved  from  Dart- 
mouth to  New  i3edford  in  1855,  to  the  house 
at  No.  411  County  street  where  he  died  seven 
years  later,  and  in  which  his  widow  resided  un- 
til her  death,  in   1902. 

The  life  of  Benjamin  Cummings  was  one 
■of  intense  attention  to  business  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death.  He  was  much  interested  in 
Antioeh  College  at  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio,  and 
found  time  in  his  busy  life  to  serve  it  as  a 
trustee.  He  liked  trees  and  flowers  and  all 
outdoor  things  and  took  great  pleasure  and 
pride  in  his  garden. 

On  Jan.  27,  1820,  when  twenty-two  years 
«lil.   Mr.   Cummings  married   Cynthia   Smith, 

44 


born  Jan.  9,  1802,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Mary  (Almy)  Smith,  who  owned  a  large  tract 
of  land  in  Dartmouth,  on  the  Paskamansett 
river,  which  is  still  kept  in  the  family.  Ten 
children  blessed  this  marriage,  namely:  Caro- 
line Almy,  born  Sept.  23,  1821,  married  Abner 
R.  Tucker,  and  died  March  5,  1904;  Mary 
Ann,  born  Jan.  6,  1823,  married  Charles  Almy, 
whom  she  survived,  and  lived  in  Buffalo,  where 
she  died  Dec.  18,  1910  (she  was  laid  to  rest 
in  Oak  Grove  cemetery,  at  New  Bedford) ; 
William  Henry,  born  Dec.  21,  1824,  died  Dec. 

27,  1874;  Emily  Mandeville,  born  June  25, 
1827,  married  Benjamin  Rathbone  Almy; 
Charles  Smith  was  born  Feb.  4,  1830;  Sarah, 
bom  Oct.  8,  1832,  died  Sept.  29,  1847;  John 
Tillinghast,  born  April  23,  1835,  died  April 
7,  1837;  Louise  Smith  was  born  in  Dartmouth 
Sept.  18,  1838;  Julia  Holmes,  born  May  20, 
1842,  died  May  26,  1843;  and  Julia  Holmes 
(2),  born  Feb.  20,  1844,  died  Aug.  20,  1856. 
The  old  age  to  which  Mr.  Cummings  had 
looked  forward  as  a  time  when  he  could  en- 
joy the  property  he  had  accumulated,  to  which 
he  had  looked  as  a  means  rather  than  an  end, 
was  denied  him,  and  lie  died,  leaving  the  repu- 
tation of  an  honorable  and  upright  man  in 
whom  his  family  could  feel  just  pride,  Sept. 

28,  1863,  in  New  Bedford.  Mrs.  Cummings 
died  March  4,  1902,  just  about  two  months 
after  her  one  hundredth  birthday. 

(VIII)  William  Henry  Cummings,  son  of 
Benjamin,  born  Dec.  21,  1824,  in  Dartmouth, 
married  (first)  June  5,  1849,  Hannah  W. 
Smith,  who  bore  him  three  children,  namely: 
Benjamin,  born  Dec.  24,  1852 ;  William,  Aug. 
11,  1856;  and  Florence  Evelyn,  Aug.  3,  1859. 
Mr.  Cummings  married  (second)  March  15, 
1864,  Lucy  B.  Gifford,  and  to  this  marriage 
were  born  two  children :  Charles  Smith,  Dec. 
9,  1867;  and  Mabel  L.,  Jan.  6,  1870.  Mr. 
Cummings  spent  his  younger  days  in  Dart- 
mouth, where  he  was  educated.  In  his  earlier 
years  he  followed  whaling  for  a  short  time,  go- 
ing on  two  or  three  voyages.  In  1849  he  went 
to  California  with  the  gold  seekers,  and  re- 
mained about  a  year.  Upon  his  return  he 
lived  in  Westport  for  about  four  years,  and 
in  1855  located  at  Russell's  Mills  in  Dart- 
mouth. Here  he  engaged  in  farming,  an  oc- 
cupation he  followed  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred Dec.  27,  1874. 


(IX)  BENjAMfN  Cummings,  son  of  William 
H.,  was  born  Dec.  24,  1852,  in  that  part  of 
Westport  which  is  known  as  "Head  of  West- 
port."  He  was  given  his  primary  or  elemen- 
tary education  at  Russell's  Mills,  whither  his 


690 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


parents  had  removed  in  1855.  He  attended 
school  there  until  he  was  about  twelve  years 
of  age,  when  he  was  sent  to  the  Friends'  board- 
ing school  in  Providence,  where  he  studied  two 
years.  He  left  this  school  in  June,  1867,  and 
on  Aug.  19th  of  the  same  year  became  a  clerk 
in  the  store  of  his  uncles.  Tucker  &  Cum- 
mings,  and  continued  in  that  capacity  until  the 
retirement  of  Abner  R.  Tucker,  the  senior 
member,  in  1881,  when  he  became  the  junior 
member  of  the  firm.  This  business  was  estab- 
lished in  1853,  as  Tucker  &  Cummings  (Abner 
R.  Tucker  and  Charles  S.  Cummings),  and 
was  confined  to  one  store  from  1853  to  1873, 
when  another  store  was  added,  and  two  stores 
were  operated  until  1881,  when  the  third  store 
was  opened,  and  the  firm  name  became  C.  S. 
&  B.  Cummings.  As  such  it  continued  until 
the  death  of  the  senior  member  in  1906,  when 
the  firm  name  was  changed  to  Cummings  & 
Cummings,  Frank  A.  Cummings,  son  of 
Charles  S.,  becoming  the  junior  member  of  the 
firm,  and  at  the  same  time  a  fourth  store  was 
added.  The  members  of  this  firm  of  importers 
and  grocers  for  fifty-five  years  have  numbered 
among  their  patrons  the  best  and  most  exclu- 
sive New  Bedford  families.  From  the  time  of 
his  entrance  into  this  firm  as  a  boy  in  1867, 
for  a  period  of  twenty-nine  years,  Benjamin 
Cummings  opened  the  store  daily  at  5  :30  a.  m. 
in  the  summer  and  6  :00  a.  m.  in  the  winter, 
and  without  disparagement  to  any  one  else  it 
may  be  said  that  he  largely  assumed  the  man- 
agement of  the  business  years  before  he  be- 
came a  member  of  the  firm,  in  1881.  From 
the  time  he  became  identified  with  the  firm 
in  1867  the  business  has  increased  tenfold. 
Inheriting  from  his  parents  a  rugged  constitu- 
tion, and  possessing  great  energy  and  keen 
aptitude  for  business,  Mr.  Cummings  has  made 
himself  one  of  the  most  representative  and 
successful  business  men  and  merchants.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trade.  In  his  politi- 
cal views  he  is  a  Republican,  and  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  merits  of  a  protective  tariff  for 
American  industries.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Republican  Home  Market  Club,  but  otherwise 
is  not  active  in  party  work.  He  is  a  trustee 
of  the  Institution  for  Savings.  Socially  he  is 
an  original  member  of  the  Dartmouth  Club, 
and  a  member  of  the  Wamsutta,  Country  and 
Yacht  Clubs. 

On  Feb.  7,  1893,  Mr.  Cummings  was  mar- 
ried to  Mary  Elizabeth  Smiih,  of  New  Bed- 
ford.    They  have  no  children. 


(VIII)  Ch.\rles  Smith  Cummixcss,  son  of 
Benjamin    and    Cynthia    (Smith)    Cummings, 


born  Feb.  4,  1830,  died  in  New  Bedford  Aug. 
26,  1906.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  town,  the  Friends'  Acad- 
emy at  New  Bedford  and  Phillips  Academy  at 
Andover.  In  1849  he  went  to  California,  and 
for  the  next  four  years  was  engaged  in  min- 
ing. He  returned  and  established  a  store  at 
South  Dartmouth.  For  fifty-three  years  Mr. 
Cummings  had  devoted  his  time  and  attention 
to  the  grocery  business,  which  began  in  a 
small  store  at  Padanaram  in  1853,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  comprised  several  stores  in 
the  Cummings  building  on  Williams  street. 
The  business  was  established  under  the  firm 
name  of  Tucker  &  Cummings,  the  partners  be- 
ing Abner  R.  Tucker  and  Charles  S.  Cum- 
mings. The  store  in  South  Dartmouth  was 
on  the  road  leading  to  the  bridge,  and  in  it 
were  kept  for  sale  all  sorts  of  goods,  from 
hardware  to  groceries,  from  crockery  to  ship 
supplies.  Besides  their  general  store  business 
Tucker  &  Cummings  fitted  nine  whaling  ves- 
sels and  built  four  more,  the  "H.  H.  Crapo," 
the  "A.  R.  Tucker,"  the  "Eliot  C.  Cowdin" 
and  the  "Benjamin  Cummings."  The  panic 
of  1857  resulted  in  the  dropping  of  the  whal- 
ing end  of  the  business,  and  in  1860  the  firm 
moved  to  New  Bedford.  For  a  year  Tucker 
&  Cummings  occupied  a  store  at  the  corner  of 
Front  and  Union  streets,  where  they  carried 
on  a  wholesale  and  retail  business.  In  1861 
the  firm  opened  the  Williams  street  stores, 
which  were  extended  from  time  to  time  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  increase  in  busi- 
ness. In  1881  Mr."  Tucker  withdrew  and  Ben- 
jamin Cummings,  a  nephew,  became  the  jun- 
ior member  of  the  firm.  During  the  war  Mr. 
Cummings  was  a  member  of  the  3d  Massachu- 
setts Cavalry,  in  wliich  he  attained  the  rank 
of  second  lieutenant.  He  was  a  member  of 
Acushnet  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  of  the 
New  Bedford  Protecting  Society.  In  politics 
he  was  a  Repul)lican. 

On  Nov.  27,  1855,  Mr.  Cummings  was  mar- 
ried to  A.  Emma  Brownell,  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph BrowncU.  Their  children  were:  (1)  Ida 
F.,  born  Oct.  29,  1858,  married  Charles  D. 
Prescott,  M.  D.  (2)  Emily  Ahny,  born  Jan. 
16,  1861,  married  June  I'l,  1891,  Eliot  D. 
Stetson,  and  has  children,  Lydia  Almy  (born 
April  5,  1892),  Emily  Cummings  (March  2, 
1893),  Ellen  AVinslow  "(May  18,  1895),  Frances 
Eliot  (born  June  23,  1897),  Thomas  Meriam 
(horn  Oct.  27.  1899),  and  Eliot  Dawes,  Jr., 
(Oct.  5,  1903).  (3)  Frank  Augustus,  bom 
Oct.  15,  1869,  married  Sept.  15,  1903,  Roxy 
H.  Greene,  and  his  children  are  Rosalind,  born 
July  15,  1904,  and  Prescott  Brownell,  born 
July  6,  1908. 


SOUTHEASTERN  MASSACHUSETTS 


691 


ALMY.  (I)  William  Alniy,  born  in  Eng- 
land in  1601,  came  to  America  with  Governor 
Winthrop.  He  was  made  a  freeman  in  1635, 
was  commissioner  in  1656-57-63.  His  wife 
Audry  was  born  in  1603,  and  both  died  in 
1676. 

(II)  Christopher  Almy,  son  of  William  and 
Audry,  born  in  1633,  married  July  9,  1661, 
Elizabeth  Cornell,  daughter  of  Thomas,  born 
in  Hertford,  England.  He  was  of  Portsmouth, 
R.  I.,  and  died  there  Jan.  30,  1713,  and  she 
died  after  1708. 

(III)  William  Almy,  son  of  Christopher  and 
Elizabeth,  born  Oct.  27.  1665,  was  of  Tiverton, 
R.  I.,  where  he  married  Deborah  Cook,  of 
Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  born  Feb.  15,  1669.  He 
died  July  6,  1747. 

(IV)  Job  Almy,  son  of  William  and 
Deborah,  born  April  28,  1696.  was  of  East 
Greenwich,  R.  I.  In  Tiverton  he  married 
July  18,  1717,  Lydia  Tillinghast,  of  East 
Greenwich,  born  July  8,  1700.  He  died  at 
Tiverton  July  18,  1777. 

(V)  Job  Almv,  son  of  Job  and  Lydia,  born 
in  Dartmouth  Oct.  16,  1730,  died  Jan.  4, 
1816.  On  April  27,  1750,  he  married  in  Dart- 
mouth Anne  Slocum,  born  in  Dartmouth 
March  6,  1732,  died  Sept.  17,  1793. 

(VI)  Tillinghast  Almy,  son  of  Job  arid 
Anne,  born  March  16,  1754,  died  Sept.  22, 
1830.  He  was  of  Dartmouth.  He  married 
about  1777  Hannah  Chase,  of  Portsmouth, 
R.  I.,  born  March  ]5,  1750,  died  Jan.  6,  1840. 

(VII)  Mary  Almy,  daughter  of  Tillinghast 
and  Hannah,  born  in  Dartmouth  May  23,  1780, 
died  March  26,  1829,  married  Oct.  2,  1800, 
Henry  Smith,  born  July  16,  1777,  died  July 
16,  1813. 

(VIII)  Cynthia  Smith,  daughter  of  Mary 
(Almy)  and  Henry  Smith,  born  Jan.  9,  1802, 
in  Dartmouth,  married  Jan.  27,  1820,  Ben- 
jamin Cummings,  born  April  7,  1797,  died 
Sept.  28,  1863. 

(IX)  Emily  Mandeville  (Cummings)  Almy, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Cynthia  (Smith) 
Cummings,  born  June  25,  1827,  in  Dartmouth, 
married  there  Nov.  15,  1849,  Benjamin  Rath- 
bone  Almy,  born  in  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  Feb.  22, 
1810,  died  in  New  Bedford  Jan.  29,  1861. 
He  was  a  son  of  William  Almy,  of  Portsmouth, 
R.  I.,  and  Rhoda  his  wife,  and  grandson  of 
Tillinghast  and  Hannah  (Chnse)  Almy,  above 
mentioned.  To  Benjamin  R.  and  Emily  M. 
(Cummings)  Almy  were  born  children  as  fol- 
lows: Walter,  born  in  Providence  Dec.  29, 
1850,  died  Aug.  13,  1906;  Clarence,  born  in 
Barrington,  R.  I.,  Aug.  15, 1852,  married  Anna 
Kirtley  Bowen,  and  died  July  6,  1883;  Emma 


Cummings,  born  in  New  Bedford  July  4,  1854, 
died  there  July  12,  1855;  Harry  Atherton, 
born  in  New  Bedford  Aug.  8,  1857,  died  Sept. 
2,  1860;  and  Ernest,  bom  in  New  Bedford 
June  20,  1859,  died  July  4,  1859. 

BROWNELL.  While  the  Brownell  family 
strictly  speaking  is  a  Rhode  Island  one,  yet 
through  that  part  of  Massachusetts  lying  adja- 
cent thereto  branches  of  the  family  early  found 
homes  and  the  name  has  since  been  a  com- 
mon one  there  and  the  family  numerous. 

(I)  Thomas  Brownell,  the  progenitor  of  the 
Rhode  Island  family,  was  born  in  1619.  He 
appeared  at  Portsmouth  in  1647,  when  at  the 
formation  of  the  government  under  the  char- 
ter of  1643,  with  John  Cook,  he  was  chosen 
water  "bailie"  for  the  Colony,  having  charge 
of  the  fisheries,  then,  as  now,  an  important 
industry  and  a  source  of  wealth.  Mr.  Brown- 
ell was  a  freeman  in  1655.  He  was  also  com- 
missioner in  that  same  year,  and  again  in 
1661,  1662  and  1663,  and  deputy  in  1664. 
The  Christian  name  of  his  wife  was  Ann.  Mr. 
Brownell  died  in  1665,  and  Mrs.  Brownell  in 
that  same  year.  Their  children,  were:  Mary, 
Sarah,  Martha,  George,  William,  Thomas, 
Robert  and  Anna.     Of  these, 

(II)  George  Brownell,  born  in  1646, 
married  in  1673  Susanna,  born  in  1652,  daugh- 
ter of  Richard  and  Susanna  (Wright)  Pearce. 
He  lived  in  Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  and  was  a 
prominent  public  man.  He  represented  his 
town  as  deputy  to  the  General  Court,  in  1699 
and  1702;  and  was  assistant  in  1706-07-08-09- 
10-11.  He  died  in  1718,  and  his  wife  in  1743. 
Their  children  were:  Susanna,  Sarah,  Mary, 
Martha,   Thomas,  Joseph,  Wait   and   Stephen. 

(III)  Joseph  Brownell,  son  of  George,  of 
Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  was  born  Dec.  5,  1680. 
He,  married  Jan.  5,  1716-17,  Ruth  Cor- 
nell, born  Dec.  12,  1697,  daughter  of 
George  Cornell,  and  their  children  were: 
George,   born    June    23,    1718 ;   Joseph,    April 

26,  1720;  Thomas.  Oct.  23,  1722-;  Wait, 
Feb.  6,  1724-25;  Philadelphia,  Dec.  15,  1726; 
Martha,  March  17,  1728-29;  and  George,  Sept. 

27,  1736. 

(IV)  Joseph  Brownell  (2),  son  of  Joseph 
and  Ruth,  born  April  26,  1720,  married  Dec. 
22,  1742,  Rebecca  Tripp,  born  Aug.  28,  1722, 
daughter  of  Abicl  and  Eleanor  (Wait)  Tripp. 
Their  "children  were:  Stephen,  born  Feb.  12, 
1744;  Jonathan,  May  30,  1746;  Nathan,  Feb.